It is reported that the UK arm of German-based power utility E.ON is getting together with major fuel cell developer Ceramic Fuel Cells (CFCL) with the aim of eventually providing a fully-integrated micro combined heat and power (microCHP) unit:
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| A CFCL Gennex fuel cell module. |
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This, unlike most such units produced so far, will incorporate a
Ceramic Fuel Cell Limited (
CFCL) fuel cell in place of the more conventional Stirling engine as the power unit.
Such units, when fully developed to overcome a number of difficulties - relatively high price, a need to extend life and reliability, overcoming market resistance, extra installer training needed etc - can be fitted into UK homes and small businesses in place of conventional heating boilers. Properly developed, such units could, if used in all those UK homes suitable for them, save cut home energy bills by up to £200 annually. CO2 emissions can be simultaneously reduced by up to 25% (around 1 - 1.5 tonnes / home annually). Moreover, the UK could reduce its carbon emissions by millions of tonnes / year. MicroCHP could also be viable 'for public sector landlords where cost of capital is low and social and environmental drivers are equally important.
The technology:
Combined Heat & Power (CHP) uses power generation waste heat rather than rejecting it to coolant and atmosphere, bringing overall plant efficiency to 85 - 90%. The economic and environmental benefits are well recognised, and the EU has made increased CHP capacity a key part of its 'greenhouse' gas carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction strategy. CHP's much smaller counterpart is called 'microCHP'.
Four main technologies are used to power microCHP units - which are still very much in their infancy and are still being developed. These are the venerable Stirling engine (currently the leading contender), fuel cells (which may need further development but which are efficient, quiet and extremely clean in terms of emissions), Rankine Cycle engines (relatively low electrical efficiencies but high thermal efficiencies) and the well-understood internal combustion engine (much used in Japan).
MicroCHP units are typically those in the 2, 3 or 5kWe range, and they are being designed to be up to 90% fuel efficient, though Carbon Trust trials of some types have, so far, been rather disappointing in terms of fuel efficiency achieved.
Experience and clout:
If any two companies have the sheer expertise and clout to develop fuel cell powered microCHP units, then CFCL and E.ON must some high on the list. E.ON UK is contributing to the product development costs and will retain a first option to purchase future CFCL microCHP units for the UK market. The company has indicated that the agreement adds to its existing activities in the microCHP sector. Powergen, a part of the E.ON Group and one of the leading energy suppliers of electricity and gas in the UK, has been involved in Stirling-engined microCHP units before, but is 'not currently delivering any units to customers'. However, Powergen also says that it is 'working towards a full market roll-out of mass-manufactured units from early 2009'. Whether these are the CFCL fuel-cell units remains to be seen.
MD of Energy Wholesale and Technology at E.ON UK, Bob Taylor, has commented that the company 'is keen to get the units out into homes to see exactly what they can do'. He has agreed that E.ON UK is still at a trial stage, but believes that CFCL's fuel cell technology is the most advanced available.
CFCL MD Brendan Dow said: "With this agreement, we are now very close to achieving our partnering objectives in Europe. We look forward to working with E.ON UK to bring our energy-saving technology to homes and small businesses throughout the UK."
CFCL will supply a NetGen+ unit for operation with a supplementary boiler, as well as a specially designed thermal store to produce an 'Alpha' prototype. This will then be used in field trials. The plan is for the NetGen+ unit to be delivered by December this year, and the Alpha unit to be developed by mid-2008. CFCL will announce its appliance partner to manufacture the units in due course.
Later developments will include a 'Beta' microCHP unit, consisting of CFCL's fuel cell module fully integrated with a condensing boiler.
More about fuel cells:
Fuel cells are extremely clean in terms of emissions - most of it just water. They produce electricity and heat from carbon-based fuels directly using cathode / anode electrodes and electrolyte. Fuel oxidation at the anode liberates electrons which flow to the cathode, producing electrical work. At the cathode, the electrons are taken up by the oxidant, itself reduced. Fuel cells are quiet, vibrationless and produce almost no emissions (except during manufacture).
The picture shows a CFCL Gennex fuel cell module (not necessarily the type that will be used in the CFCL - E.ON development).
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