1. - Gaz de France activities - Stirling and Fuel Cell mCHP Technologies
Gas industry micro CHP workshop 2008
May 29-30th, 2008
1839
Sir W. R. Grove
1816
Robert Stirling

2. Gaz de France R&D Activities
Gaz de France, as a “end user”, is between product and market:
On the product side : make products available on the French market (Tests on Stirling and Fuel Cells)
On the market side : create the best conditions to launch and develop mCHP market in France (Regulation, benefits evaluation…)
Because the French context is not so attractive for 5kW- mCHP, Gaz de France focuses on 1kW mCHP, mainly based on 2 technologies:
Stirling Technology, mature technology, with heat to power ratio particularly suitable for actual existing dwellings.
S.O. Fuel Cells, technology under development, with heat to power ratio particularly suitable for future new dwellings.
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Avancement des activités de R&D sur les technologies de production décentralisée d'énergie
Products – Lab Tests
Objective : Better knowledge on products in operation
Characterization
Energy and environmental performances
Operation (control/command - installations …)
Reliability
Evaluate the way it fits to residential energy demand
Tests in R&D conditions
Characterization test bench
Endurance test bench
Experimental building
R&D Division
Stéphane HODY
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4. Field test : an essential step before market launch
Gaz de France has decided at the end of 2007, to conduct a Field test Trial of 40 mCHP units installed in existing homes in the area of Lyon.
That’s the outcome of a strong partnership between :
Gaz de France R&D Division, managing the Field Test, in charge of data metering for each unit and the administrative processes (connection to the grid, obtaining of the export electricity certificate…)
SAVELYS, Gaz de France subsidiary, in charge of customer selection, installation, commissioning and maintenance of units on sites.
Which product ? The floor mounted Whispergen unit coupled with an external DHW Tank:
Power
Electrical Power : 1 kW
Heating Power : 14kW
Efficiencies
Electrical 11 %
Total: up to 106%
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Field test - Targets
« … to build up a comprehensive technical feed-back in order to feed the Group’s views on mCHP market» :
To assess products efficiencies and reliability in real conditions.
To set and transfer competencies to the field (installation and maintenance)
To refine the economical studies results
To build solid arguments and feed the lobby task force based on a significant number of mCHP installations.
To test new products : control command module, operation supervision…
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6. Benefits : Profitability – Business Models
Excel tool under development in order to :
Evaluate the profitability of Stirling and FC mCHP in operation according to diverse points of view (end user, utility…)
Business model description and evaluation.
Sensitivity analysis to parameters (technology, efficiency, customer load curves, prices…)
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7. Benefits : Reduction of CO2 emissions
Gaz de France has developed a model to simulate the operation of power plants, given French electricity load, and calculate corresponding CO2 emissions.
mCHP most of the time replaces fossil fuel fired Power Plants (Coal, Oil, Gas)
1 ton of CO2 savings/year compared to a customer equipped with a condensing boiler
Represents 20-30% CO2 savings compared to a customer equipped with a condensing boiler
Simulated operation of French power Plants over 12 days in summer.
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8. Benefits: A simulation tool to study the dynamic behaviour of the electrical distribution grid
Daily production profile of the decentralized energy resource (kW)
Production profile in steady state
LV grid
MV source
MV/LV transformer
Dynamic electrical consumption of a residential customer
Daily consumption profile (kW)
The model allow us to study the impact of a decentralized electric resource on :
The power quality delivered by the grid
The global and specific power flows
The results give us indications on :
The limits of the present French grid
The means to increase the deployment of the micro CHP boiler
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9. Regulation - 3 workgroups deal with regulations applicable to mCHP
Avancement des activités de R&D sur les technologies de production décentralisée d'énergie
Regulation - 3 workgroups deal with regulations applicable to mCHP
Regarding products, we focus on European Standards and Directives in order to adapt the product with engineering and performance requirements.
Regarding installation, we focus on national standards to identify concerns on:
Natural gas connection of the boiler to
the gas network
the customer installation
Exhaust pipes (C1)
Electric connection of the boiler to
the grid (complex and time consuming)
the customer installation (Technical requirements)
Regarding market launch, we focus on support and incentive mechanisms as:
Buyback price and administrative procedures
Tax incentives
Thermal regulation 2005 (new buildings)
White certificate
La calcul du coût de production d’électricité cogénérée permet de déterminer le gain pour le client sur sa facture d’énergie, le gain pour Gaz de France en achetant sa production au client (en plus du gain du à la vente de GN, au fait de gagner un client électrique, aux métiers de service, au CEE)
Stéphane HODY
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10. mCHP of the future : Fuel Cells
Directing R&D efforts towards mCHP application.
Co-financed projects (ANR/PAN’H & ADEME)
Active within Strategic Groups in France (GDR-CNRS) and in Europe (Industrial Group of the New JTI)
Extension of knowledge and resolution of remaining issues of the technology (lifetime, new materials, costs…)
Involvement in R&D projects in France (CEA, CNRS…) and in Europe (Jülich)
mCHP FC development for French market in partnership with cell makers and boiler manufacturers
Partnership with CFCL and De Dietrich Thermique
Technical evaluation, profitability and CO2 impact of others products under development.
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Thank you for your attention
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