Subject:

April 2004

News

First UK fuel cell trials at resource04

In the first trial of its kind in the UK, a fuel cell system developed by Scottish based company Smart Energy Ltd will be trialled in a test house at BRE’s Watford site. The fuel cell trial will be on display at resource04, an exhibition of renewable and innovative energy efficiency technologies for buildings being held at BRE on 7-10 June 2004.

In this trial, funded by the Carbon Trust, an alkaline fuel cell combined heat and power (CHP) system (with lead acid battery energy storage) will supply electricity to one of BRE’s unique full-scale test houses, which mimics the requirements of a real home with a range of simulated occupancy patterns. Heat produced by the unit will augment the house’s gas fired central heating system.

Fuel cells transform energy stored in a fuel into electricity and heat. They are similar to batteries, which also convert energy stored in chemical form into electricity, except that they make use of externally supplied fuel and so do not need recharging.

Among the fuels that can be used is hydrogen, offering the prospect of an almost limitless supply of zero-emission fuel for ‘clean’ energy generation from renewable power sources. Fuel cells can be produced in a wide range of sizes, so fuel cell CHP plants could be installed in individual homes, large office buildings or small industrial facilities, and run on hydrogen either pumped directly to the plants or converted from waste energy streams or biomass.

The fuel cell unit being trialled will be fuelled with compressed hydrogen supplied by Air Products Ltd. During the study, all the parameters needed to fully evaluate the system will be monitored and recorded, and the technical and economic factors involved in a hydrogen economy and infrastructure will be investigated. Monitoring will be carried out by Scottish and Southern Energy plc, the UK’s largest electricity distribution company, providing independent verification of the trial performance.

For more information about resource04, at which the fuel cell trial and many other innovative and renewable energy technologies will be on display, visit www.resource04.com, e-mail resource04@bre.co.uk, or tel 01923 664525.

The Carbon Trust

The Carbon Trust works with UK business and the public sector to cut carbon emissions and capture the potential of low carbon technologies. An independent company set up by Government to help the UK meet its climate change obligations, the Carbon Trust creates practical business-focused solutions to carbon emission reduction through energy efficiency, carbon management, and investment.

The Carbon Trust's annual funding amounts to approximately £50m a year in grants from Defra, the Scottish Executive, the National Assembly for Wales and Invest NI. In addition, the Carbon Trust manages the Government’s energy efficiency Enhanced Capital Allowance scheme.

www.thecarbontrust.co.uk

BRE

BRE is a leading centre of expertise, research, consultancy and testing in the areas of construction, the built environment, sustainability, fire safety and energy. BRE’s Energy Division is a world-renowned centre of expertise associated with energy efficiency best practice, energy technology and housing research, data collection and analysis.