The Operation Result of The Demonstration of Fuel Cells and Energy Networks of Electricity, Heat, and Hydrogen at an Apartment Building – The Second Report H. Aki, Y. Taniguchi (AIST) I. Tamura, A. Kegasa (Osaka Gas Co., Ltd.) Y. Ishikawa, S. Yamamoto, I. Sugimoto (KRI, Inc.)

Contents Past activities: Energy networks of electricity + heat + hydrogen Demonstration project Site Results System Background

Residential Fuel cell Generation unit Hot water tank 800mm Natural gas/LPG/kerosene -> hydrogen FY No. of unitsSubsidy (USD) M M M 1 1: planned, not confirmed, 2: Converted by 1 JPY = 100 USD Used in residential homes: ≈1 kW Fuel processor is combined Government’s deployment program

Fuel cell – system configuration Generation unit + hot water tank PEM fuel cell Fuel reforming (75% H 2 ) Fuel processor Natural gas H2H2 Heatexchanger Cell stack Heat Electricity 0.7 – 1 kW Hot water High temp. (800 ℃ )  : 80% (rated operation) 40% elect. + 40% heat Aux. boiler Hot water tank (300–400 L) INV

Introduction – challenges for FC (1) - Low load factor - Demand spikes - Imbalance of electricity vs. heat Residential demand characteristics

Introduction – challenges for FC (2) PEM fuel cell Fuel reforming (75% H 2 ) Fuel processor Natural gas H2H2 Heatexchanger Cell stack Heat Electricity Hot water High temp. (800 ℃ )  : 80% (rated operation) 40% elect. + 40% heat + Easy acceptable to consumers + Stand alone use is available without additional infrastructure Cell stack + fuel processor: − Pre-heating is necessary at start-up − Efficiency drops at partial load operations − Responding quickly to load change is unavailable Challenges on fuel processors

Project schedule Practical use Concept design (+ PC simulation) Lab-scale research Demonstration From concept to practical use, all the way ! Nothing goes as planned anyway.

Energy networks of electricity + heat + H 2 in residential areas Electricity H2H2 Hot water Convention al grid Piping Fuel processor Fuel cell H 2 storage Hot water storage Benefit Regional energy interchange Separation: fuel processors/cell stacks Hydrogen storage/interchange Sharing of equipment Flexible operation Fuel processors: Reduction of initial costs Balancing heat & electricity rated operation (+ reduction of start-stop) Increase of load factors (= high efficiency)

Proposed systems – detached house Start with small-scale: scalable CO 2 : − 6-8% Initial costs: 1/2 Home #5 Home #6 Home #1 Home #2 Home #7 Home #8 Home #3 Home #4 Fuel processor FC H2H2 H 2 tank H2H2 H2H2 Boiler Natural gas Hot water Boiler Hot water Electricity

Proposed systems – apartment building No. of PEMFC: flexible (= economical) Efficient H 2 production Heat/electricity ratio: flexible 湯 Electricity Engine/SOFC H 2 tank PEFC Hot water circulation Electricity Tank PEFC Hot water circulation Electricity Tank PEFC Hot water circulation Electricity Tank Purifier (PSA) Fuel processor Electricity H2H2 Natural gas Hot water

Demonstration Site: Experimental Complex “NEXT21” Type: apartments (6 floors, 18 homes) Property of Osaka Gas Co, Ltd. Topics of interest Operational strategies (improve for practical application) CO 2 mitigation, energy conservation 6 homes used PEFC + hot water tank: 3 units Hydrogen production: on the roof System

Energy systems Hydrogen system Fuel reformer + PSA (3sets, 1.5 Nm 3 /h each) Fuel cells PEM-FC (700 W e x 3) Efficiencies (HHV): 40% electricity (200V AC) + 40% hot water Fuel: 99.99% hydrogen Operations are not incl. this demonstration Installed on the roof Developed by Osaka Gas Hot o C (temp. variable)

Demonstration site – floor plans Hydrogen Electricity 4 th floor Hot water (one way: detached house case) Hot water (circulation: apt. bldg. case) 3 rd floor Fuel cell 5 th & 6 th floor Hot water tank Apartment building case Detached house case Two cases (systems)

Demonstration – pictures [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] Pictures The first demonstration of energy networks of electricity, heat, and hydrogen in the world

Operation result of a typical day in fall of detached house case, electricity Fuel cells: high load factor

Operation result of a typical day in fall of detached house case, hot water Hot water: not enough

Operation result of a typical day in fall of apartment building case, electricity Fuel cells: high load factor

Operation result of a typical day in fall of apartment building case, hot water Hot water: not enough

Operation summary (each day in fall 2007) Ambient temp. low 86 % 59 %

Operation results System is working well; no major troubles (minor troubles on FC and H 2 production ) Facts 86%, 59 % of energy depended on hydrogen Larger capacity (e.g., 1 kWe) may suitable Hydrogen energy system is technologically available Improvement suggestion Combination with SOFC would be interesting

Concluding remarks Energy networks of electricity + heat + hydrogen Demonstration project Future plan An apartment building + daily life Energy systems: 2 cases Well operated (some problems -> fixed) Additional installation of CHP (e.g., SOFC) is desired CO 2 mitigation, primary energy reduction Concept: toward hydrogen society System design

R&D steps for practical application Detached houses Apartment building Market Business model development Fundamental R&D is still necessary Earlier commercialization is possible System development for community, residential area scale Energy network in residential areas