Patent ID: 8137854

Claim:
A primary energy supply system on board an aircraft, comprising: a fuel cell arrangement; an electrical energy distribution device; and a regulating unit; wherein the fuel cell arrangement comprises a plurality of fuel cell modules; the fuel cell arrangement being configured to provide electrical energy to the electrical energy distribution device; the electrical energy distribution device being configured to distribute the electrical energy supplied by the fuel cell arrangement directly to electrical consumers; wherein the regulating unit is connected to the electrical energy distribution device by way of a first signal line and the regulating unit is connected to at least one of the plurality of fuel cell modules by way of a second signal line; wherein the electrical energy distribution device is configured for transmitting signals to the regulating unit relating to an expected future energy requirement of a particular electrical consumer; wherein the regulating unit controls or regulates the electrical energy distribution device by way of the first signal line according to a list of rankings of the electrical consumers; wherein the regulating unit is configured to control or regulate the plurality of fuel cell modules by way of the second signal line according to the expected future energy requirements of the particular electrical consumer; and wherein the aircraft is a fully-electrical aircraft with a starter generator for each engine, without there being any further main engine generators.