IE Group Working with Leading Scottish Housing Developer to Integrate Hydrogen Fuel Cells into Homes

• • In-home Hydrogen Fuel Cells

Working in partnership with a leading Scottish housing developer, IE Group are integrating hydrogen fuel cells into homes

IE Group is working with a leading Scottish housing developer to integrate hydrogen fuel cells into homes to generate electricity.

This project will determine the feasibility of such a system while providing a clean source of renewable power to each home. A new housing estate will be built to include infrastructure for hydrogen fuel delivery between houses, including a central storage facility.

Major benefits of in-home cells

Sustainability
Having a source of power whose only byproduct is water is beneficial for the environment. Furthermore, hydrogen is an abundant resource and can be generated from the electrolysis of water.

Cost
Due to the high energy efficiency of hydrogen as a fuel source, the cost of generating electricity in this way is low. This energy can supplement or totally replace grid electricity.

Maintainability
Due to the design of the fuel cells, they can be fitted to allow easy access for maintenance/replacement. This means minimal downtime in the case of a problem and minimal cost of repair.

Value
This prototype for a new form of clean energy supply is important in today’s world where traditional non-renewable power plants pose a real risk to the environment. Having an energy supply whose only byproduct is water either solely power or supplement power for an entire home could significantly reduce a family’s carbon footprint. As well as this, there is a possibility to generate surplus power to sell to others.

Hydrogen can be both produced and stored, this gives rise to a further benefit whereby a house with a cell could generate and store hydrogen through a means such as a solar cell. Storing energy in this way rather than in a traditional battery is infinitely reusable and doesn’t use harmful elements such as lead or lithium, whose production is further harm to the environment.
Challenges
Hydrogen fuel cells are a fairly new technology and with that novelty comes potential challenges. In order to mitigate the impact of these challenges, the infrastructure is being designed to be easily re-purposed in the event that the fuel cells do not operate as intended; the existing subterranean pipework could be used to feed a bio-gas generator instead, for example.

Source: IEG