Fuel cells: The private power plant in the cellar – Business Week

of anger about the rising price of electricity is growing in many the desire to become independent of energy suppliers. Now, with the fuel cell, a new technology ready for the market. What the eight best systems can – and what they cost.

Hans-Gerd spark it can not imagine otherwise: For more than 18 months, he draws power for the 200-square-meter house, where he lives with his wife, three children and a dog, almost entirely of a fuel cell test equipment. It is in the basement of his house, is no bigger than a dishwasher – and completely silent.

About 24 kilowatt hours of the fuel cell every day. Unlike solar panels on the roof of the electrons flow even after sunset. The waste heat generated in the production of electricity is used to heat shower water or to heat the rooms. Funke is satisfied: “So far, the system is very reliable.”

The Oldenburg is a participant in a nationwide large-scale project called Callux. To check the manufacturer Vaillant Viessmann since 2008, nearly 400 units in daily operation on the heart and kidneys

It works like this:. Devices obtained from natural gas or biogas hydrogen. It is converted in the fuel cell to heat and electricity. In cars or in submarines in the future technology has long since proven their suitability. In Japan it has already done in more than 40,000 private households in service.

leap Germany

Now is the market are also used in Germany in the aisles. According to Wolfram Münch, head of the research department at the energy company EnBW Baden-Württemberg and spokesman for the Callux initiative, the systems are ready for home use. In this assessment, it is based on a survey of test clients: 98 percent claimed to be satisfied with the equipment

This makes the manufacturers obviously courage.. After the pioneers Ceramic Fuel Cells (CFC) and Hexis this year also Elcore and Viessmann venture into the market. The last provider wants to enter in 2017 is currently expected to Vaillant.

The major fuel cell manufacturers and systems

biggest hurdle likely the high prices for the fuel cell to be. The BlueGen unit of CFC for example, costs around 28,000 euros, including installation. Nevertheless, it is said to have CFC CEO Frank Obernitz According amortized after about seven years through energy savings.

This only works when an investment grant of up to 13,000 euros from a funding program will be included. Thus, for example, supports the North Rhine-Westphalian government to market. Otherwise, it will take much longer – according to Energy Agency NRW 20 years or more

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