In the United Kingdom near West Midlands, a house is being powered by a unique energy source: a hydrogen powered fuel cell. Hydrogen is currently being explored as a green alternative to current energy sources. It seems promising because it's readily abundant in nature, and gives off virtually no carbon emissions when used, unlike fossil fuels.
The refrigerator sized fuel cell, created by a German company called Baxi Immotech, produces about 1.5KW of electricity and about 3KW of heat. According to researchers, that's about 75% of the energy used by an average homeowner. The remaining energy needed to power the house would come from current energy sources like natural gas.
Currently, there is no way to pipe hydrogen directly into buildings. Because of that reality, the hydrogen must be converted from the natural gas which is currently powering the house. Hydrogen is created by a reformer that generates the element from the natural gas. The hydrogen is then stored in the fuel cell and converted into electric and heat.
In the future, it's hoped that a national hydrogen gas power grid system will be developed which will allow hydrogen to be piped directly into homes and other buildings. That will mean developing an infrastructure to support the new technology. However; components must be produced to create the system and the hydrogen must be produced, stored and safely used.
In order to help with research and other concerns about this technology, a $3 million fuel cell research project has been funded by the Advantage West Midland Agency and the Physical Science's Research Council in partnership with the University of Birmingham. It was through this partnership that the hydrogen fuel cell house came into being.
Researchers are remotely monitoring the fuel cell at the house in order to learn about its efficiency and durability. They are also hoping to find solutions to any problems that may arise with the use of the fuel source as plans have been made to install 800 fuel cell units in German homes by the year 2010. Hydrogen fuel cells will cost consumers around $3 thousand dollars to purchase according to experts.
"Ultimately, all our homes could have these units, but first, more research and industrial development is needed to optimize the technology," relays Professor Kevin Kendall from the University of Birmingham. It is incredible to think about, but it may happen in the coming decades! In the future, homes may be powered by the latest green energy source: hydrogen fuel cells.
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