Home Fuel Cell

A home fuel cell or a residential fuel cell is a scaled down version of industrial stationary fuel cell for primary or backup power generation. These fuel cells are usually based on combined heat and power-CHP or micro combined heat and power MicroCHP technology, generating both power and heated water or air. A commercially working cell is called Ene-Farm in Japan and is supported by the regional government which uses natural gas to power up the fuel cell to produce electricity and heated water. Most home fuel cells fit either inside a mechanical room or outside a home or business, and can be discreetly sited to fit within a building's design.

            Some of the newer home fuel cells can generate anywhere between 1–5 kW—optimal for larger homes (370 square metres [4,000 sq ft] or more), especially if pools, spas, and radiant floor heating are in plans. Other uses include sourcing of back-up power for essential loads like refrigerator/freezers and electronics/computers. Deploying the system's heat energy efficiently to a home or business' hot water applications displaces the electricity or gas otherwise burned to create that heat, which further reduces overall energy bills. Retail outlets like fast food chains, coffee bars, and health clubs gain operational savings from hot water heating.

Since it is in general not possible for a fuel cell to produce at all times exactly the needed amount of both electricity and heat, home fuel cells are typically not standalone installations. Instead they may rely on the grid when the electricity production is above or below what is needed. Additionally, a home fuel cell may be combined with a traditional furnace that produces only heat. For example, the German company Viessmann produces a home fuel cell with an electric power of 0.75 kW and a thermal power of 1 kW, integrated with a traditional 19 kW heat producing furnace, using the grid for electricity need below and above the fuel cell production.