Germany – Where do I get my fuel cell?
In Germany, you can get your Fuel Cell micro-Cogeneration unit for your home or business from the manufacturers BDR Thermea, Bosch, SOLIDpower, SenerTec, Sunfire or Viessmann. Click on the links for more information about their units and qualified installers.
We added below a quick checklist what you need for installing a Fuel Cell micro-Cogeneration unit and the PACE brochure with all the benefits of this technology.
Checklist
What you should know and check before installing a Fuel Cell micro-Cogeneration unit:
Installation cannot be organised for emergency replacement of your current heating system.
The building should have a main gas connection.
The building should have a central heating system.
The building should be connected to the electricity grid.
The building should have an internet connection.
You can find more information on the PACE project and Fuel Cell micro-Cogeneration in the brochure below (in German).
Power and heat with fuel cells in Germany
Germany is at the forefront of Fuel Cell micro-Cogeneration deployment in Europe, but volumes still need to scale up in order for costs to be decrease. The policy framework currently in place should be continued, and even further improved, by making it even steadier, more coherent and more predictable.
- Dedicated support schemes that adequately and fairly reward Fuel Cell micro-Cogeneration based on an agreed timeline & KPIs, such as the German KfW 433, should be continued in order to develop further the already advanced German market.
- Germany is the strongest early market, this is due to regional funding opportunities, tolerance of higher cost heating systems and a more developed manufacturer and installer base, among other factors.
- As long as these fuel cell micro-CHP products can deliver system wide benefits in terms of primary energy savings, GHG (including CO2, NOx, SOx) reductions, RES integration, adequate support schemes should be designed to reward these technologies and facilitate their mass market uptake.
- In the German experience, partnerships between industry, policymakers and customers have proved essential for the promotion of Fuel Cell micro-Cogeneration in the country. The panellists agreed that manufacturers should address customer needs by delivering tailored solutions to the end-users. In addition to recognising Fuel Cell micro-Cogeneration as one of the key technologies to deliver the energy transition in Germany by addressing the barriers and providing sufficient support, public authorities themselves can give a boost to the industry by investing in these innovative technologies.
- The momentum towards reaching mass commercialisation for these home energy solutions should continue with an ambitious implementation of the KfW 433, facilitating the customers’ access to these technologies and enabling the smart grid capabilities of micro-Cogeneration systems.
The German success case provides a good example for other European markets, and projects like ene.field and PACE are contributing to the development of new markets around Europe while developing further the more advanced German market. If other Member States are to follow, with Fuel Cell micro-Cogeneration suppliers qualifying new routes to market and opening new markets, the development of a comprehensive policy framework is necessary with national authorities complementing the efforts of European institutions. National governments are also expected to address the lack of a common framework of European standards, which is seen as a great hindrance to market uptake with national stakeholders pointing at the need to update, improve and revise a large amount of the current standards for more consistent and better suited ones.
Subsidy schemes
Recent studies
Downloads & Links
The Dilger family covers nearly 100% of their heat demand and uses about 50% of the electricity they produce, thus bringing down their energy bills by 700 euro every year.
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