Stories
More than 60,000 households in Europe are already reaping the benefits of micro-Cogeneration, and among them, more than 3,000 chose to install a Fuel Cell micro-Cogeneration unit in order to bring sustainable, reliable and affordable energy to their home. Thanks to their units they now can generate their own electricity, while producing heating, hot water and even cooling at the same time. And by 2021, PACE aims at installing at least 2,500 units in Europe, as part of a manufacturing transition to higher volumes in the order of 10,000 units/year post 2020.
Surveys conducted under ene.field show that more than 90% of end users are pleased with the environmental performance, the comfort and warmth, reliability and running costs of their fuel cell micro-cogeneration unit.
In his house, Peter installed a unit which reduces his energy bill by 700€ every year, saves him 2 tonnes of CO2 annually, and helps him to produce his own electricity for his washing machine, dryer and computer, and to recharge his electric car.
Talking about his unit, Peter says:
For us these are excellent results, because they help us contribute to a healthier environment for our children to grow up in.
Decentralised energy systems, such as Fuel Cell micro-Cogeneration, transform Europeans into active energy ‘prosumers’ (producer-consumers), putting them at the core of the future energy system. In fact, on-site generation with fuel cell micro-CHP not only gives consumers greater control over their energy use and production, while cutting their energy bills and protecting them against rising costs, but it also allows households to export to the grid the excess electricity they produce.
In Richard’s words:
I chose a Fuel Cell micro-Cogeneration unit to reduce my energy costs and become independent from the continuously growing prices for power from the grid.
More stories from PACE end-users coming soon on this page!
First Buderus ene.field fuel cell system successfully tested in single-family home
Highly efficient Buderus Logapower FC10 energy centre supplies both heat and electricity.
A Logapower FC10 energy centre from Buderus has been operating in a single-family home in Weinstadt (Germany) since July. The system of the heating technology specialist has proven to be a highly efficient solution for the decentralised generation of electricity and heat. Buderus installed the Logapower FC10 energy centre in the context of the European “ene.field” fuel cell initiative. Bosch Thermotechnology plans to operate a total of 70 demonstration systems.
In the modernised building constructed in 1953, Logapower FC10 replaced the former oil-fired boiler. The energy centre with a total efficiency of 90 percent generates both heat and electricity by way of co-generation. The electrical energy is consumed by the residents who can feed any excess electricity into the public grid and receive a government guaranteed price for it. Generating their own electricity allows home owners to cut their energy costs by an expected EUR 800 to 1,300 p.a. and reduces their exposure to rising electricity prices.
A ceramic solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is at the heart of the Logapower FC10 energy centre. It operates at 700 °C and achieves an electrical efficiency of up to 45 percent. The system also houses a Buderus Logamax plus GBH172 hybrid gas condensing boiler with a nominal output of 14 kW, a 75-litre hot water storage tank and a 150-litre buffer tank. An integrated mixing valve ensures that the gas condensing boiler is used only to cover peak requirements – e.g. when a large amount of hot water is needed instantly. All components are modular and pre-assembled. This allows them to be transported individually and connected with pre-fabricated pipes, obviating the need for complex piping by a heating engineer.
Wolfram Faas, Development Engineer at Bosch Thermotechnology, says:
We are very happy about this successful start of the ene.field project. Thanks to its high energy efficiency the Logapower FC10 energy centre is suited for a wide array of applications. In addition, its small footprint makes it very compact and ideal for the modernisation of existing buildings.
Buderus, a leading European thermotechnology brand, offers advanced heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems for a perfect indoor climate. Innovative control systems make it easy to combine different types of renewable energy systems with each other or with existing oil and gas heatings.
Buderus is a wholesale specialist for heating and installation equipment and maintains a total of 124 branches in over 50 countries. Buderus customers benefit from professional advice, reliable service as well as ideally matched energy-efficient systems from a single source.
For more information, visit www.buderus.com
For lists of manufacturers:
Buderus, Bosch Thermotechnik GmbH, Buderus Deutschland
Sophienstraße 30-32,
35576 Wetzlar/Germany
Phone +49 6441 418-0 / Fax +49 6441 45602
info@buderus.com / www.buderus.com