With their expert knowledge and assured values, BAXI INNOTECH passes Germany's performance test with flying colors
Berlin, 23rd September 2008. It is now official that the fuel cell that operates from your own home is being prepared for the market. At the kick-off of the CALLUX promotion project, the German Federal Minister for Transport, Building and Urban Affairs paved the way for both manufacturers of fuel cell heating units and energy suppliers. With more than 800 demonstration units in operation, they will be providing both current and heat from the cellars of single family houses.
In his speech, Minister Tiefensee stressed the importance of this lighthouse project and its significance in the realisation of the political objectives of his department concerning the environment as well as reinforcing the reputation of Germany as a centre of technology. "We will be putting all our strength behind the launch of this transformation in energy - towards greater efficiency and away from oil.”
Guido Gummert, Managing Director of the Hamburg-based BAXI INNOTECH and spokesman for the manufacturers involved, explained the objectives of the CALLUX programme that has resulted from the field tests: "Germany represents an important benchmark in such high value innovations. With the insights that we have gained in the field we want to achieve a sophisticated technology as rapidly as possible - a technology that can claim its place in the European market for heating equipment in the long term.”
The task of coordinating the German National Innovation Programme for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NIP) will be managed by the German National Organisation for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NOW GmbH). The NIP has at its disposal a good €1.4bn in funds available up to the end of 2015 - from the industry itself and government sponsorship in equal measure. A part of these funds will be channeled step by step into development and demonstration projects in fuel cell heating equipment.
The environmental requirements have already been met by BAXI INNOTECH
"We have the technical demands and the timing requirements clearly within our sights” says Guido Gummert, mechanical engineer and MD of BAXI INNOTECH. The required standard of performance for Germany has already been reached: "We have already obtained the desired savings in CO2 emissions of up to forty per cent in the field test projects”, he pointed out. At the heart of this little power station that operates from your cellar is the fuel cell stack. And its operation lifetime will soon be comparable to that of conventional heating equipment. For the electrochemical process natural gas is deployed as the energy source which, in turn, is converted to hydrogen in a reformer within the equipment.
CALLUX: Now already profiting from hands-on experience
The wealth of experience gained by BAXI INNOTECH over the last four years in two prototype generations of field tests is now flowing into the CALLUX lighthouse project along with some assured values. The fuel cell heating units from BAXI INNOTECH are already being tested in customer locations and further developed as necessary. The function and safety of the equipment has already proven itself in its current stage of development: "There are now significantly fewer components in the unit, most of which are ready for serial production”, added Mr Gummert. A significant reduction in system costs is now being pursued. And, in future, through the deployment of natural biogas,
it will also be possible to generate current and heat completely free of emissions.
The fuel cell in your own home - also some great opportunities for the specialist trade
In the foreseeable future, the heating equipment installation industry should also be prepared for new technologies to come onto the market. The great opportunity for the specialist trade is already to gain firsthand experience today, through participation in the demonstration project. All this goes hand in hand with a fundamental transformation in energy management in our living and working areas - away from the traditional boiler towards a complete system that generates heat and energy from a single source. And, according to Mr Gummert, this is "not just to protect existing jobs. It is to familiarise the market in good time and to prepare the induction and training of the specialist trade in this exciting new technology.”
Press Information:
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