First hydrogen fuel cell for the home

[jpak]

http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/energy/stories/first-hydrogen-fuel-cell-for-the-home

Japanese electronics company Matsushita, best known for its Panasonic line of home electronics and appliances, will claim first place in the race to put commercial home fuel cells on the market, but a slew of other companies are in tow.

The fuel cell can optimally provide 70 percent of the energy needs for a 1,280 square foot house with four people. According to Matsushita, the cell can reduce energy consumption by 22 percent and CO2 emissions by 12 percent as compared to all other power sources. The unit is guaranteed to last 40,000 hours, which amounts to ten years of operation, roughly the same amount of time it will take a consumer in Japan to recoup their initial investment. (The government will subsidize the purchase, although how much remains undetermined. The company estimates a $10,000 investment by consumers.)

Customers will purchase the fuel cell system from a local gas company, who will install it, a fairly simple process says Matsushita.

While fuel cell technology takes many different forms, in this case, the cogeneration home fuel cell hooks up to the city’s natural gas lines, extracting hydrogen from the gas in a fuel-processing device. The stream of hydrogen is combined with oxygen through a series of polyelectrolyte membranes, a process that creates electricity, heat, and water. The home fuel cell produces between 500 watts and a 1 kilowatt of electricity and captures the heat to warm a tank of water, used for showers, dishes etc.

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[tinrobot]

1. Not sure if it adds up...

A 12% reduction in CO2 emissions is paltry, and $10 grand is a significant investment. Plus, you still need to buy the natural gas, and the system only produces 1KW (which is not all that much)

Right now, 1KW of grid-tie solar costs around $6-7 grand without installation, plus you get tax credits.

[OKIsItJustMe]

2. Remember, it's also more energy efficient

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=115&topic_id=192071&mesg_id=192071

… the cell can reduce energy consumption by 22 percent …

Not everyone can install 1KW of grid-tied solar…

[tinrobot]

4. What are these numbers measured against?

It emits 12% less CO2... what exactly are the measuring this 12% against? Other fuel cells? Other forms of energy?

What does the 22% less "energy consumption" mean exactly? Is it a measure of the efficiency of the unit itself? Does it include the fact that it heats water? Again - measured against what, exactly?

True, not everyone can install solar, but for those who can, it seems to be a better option.

[OKIsItJustMe]

7. (See below)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=115&topic_id=192071&mesg_id=192099

[tinrobot]

8. Water heating

I read it so you didn't have to...

It's 22% more efficient at heating water over a "conventional system" (whatever that means)

So, 12% less CO2 for power generation and 22% better at heating water. Again - not all that impressive for $10 grand and a 10 year replacement cycle.

Solar water heaters are cheap and a lot more than 22% more efficient. On-demand water heating can use up to 50% less power than a "conventional system"

[OKIsItJustMe]

9. Yup. How long have solar hot water heaters been around?

More than a century:


This is the first home fuel cell marketed to the public. I'm thinking that given a little time they may improve.

However, once again, many people (think Japanese apartment dwellers for example) have no suitable place to install a solar system. (This system, they can.)

[OKIsItJustMe]

3. Useful stats and such

http://panasonic.co.jp/corp/news/official.data/data.dir/en080414-2/en080414-2.html
http://panasonic.net/ha/e/FC/index.htm

[Nederland]

5. Not a fair comparision

Comparing a 1kw fuel cell to a 1kw solar system is not fair. The two do not remotely produce the same amount of power.

[OKIsItJustMe]

6. And the 1KW solar system doesn't burn natural gas

So, it's "unfair" a number of ways.