What Are Natural Gas Fuel Cells For Your Home

Why Home Fuel Cells Are Making A Big Comeback

A few years ago there were many incentive programs springing up across the nation, including those by large and small power and gas companies, encouraging homeowners to install fuel cell systems powered by natural gas. The idea was that through micro combined home power generation, or allowing homeowners to generate a portion of their power and heat from natural gas using small home fuel cell systems, enough power could be generated to forestall the building new power plants. Something happened to curb all the enthusiasm for home fuel cells, namely high natural gas prices and the belief that we were quickly running out of the resource.

A decade later the United States has more natural gas that it can use. Prices have come down by more than one half, to around six dollars per thousand cubic feet of natural gas. The reason for the big price drop is the discovery of large shale gas fields like the Barnett Shale which are brimming with relatively easy to recover natural gas. A new technology called horizontal drilling is the reason for the abundance. Horizontal drilling can create a horizontal well bore in the dense shale rock up to a mile in length, from which much more natural gas can flow than from a traditional vertical well.

In addition to an estimated eighty to one hundred years of supply there may be hundreds, perhaps even thousands of years of natural gas available in great abundance in the form of methane hydrate. Methane hydrate is essentially frozen natural gas lying in giant deposits at the bottom of the seafloor. All that remains is an economically viable method of sucking it up and transporting it to land.

This abundance of natural gas is causing many to rethink the long term viability of fuel cells as a home power and heat source. Homeowners can now once more consider the benefits of spending a few thousand dollars during home construction on a fuel cell system with the possibility that utility bills will be reduced for up to one half or more over the life of the home. An increase in a monthly mortgage payment of $50 could translate to utility savings of over $100 a month.

Home fuel cell systems cost about as much as PV solar systems but can generate up to 9 times the energy for the same price. Operating costs for home fuel cell systems can run around six cents per kilowatt hour. This means a savings of fifty percent for consumers paying twelve cents per kilowatt hour.

The Current State Of Home Fuel Cell Technology

Home fuel cells, such as the one pictured above made by ClearEdge Power, are no bigger than a small HVAC unit or apartment fridge and can generate much of the electricity, heat and hot water needed by a home. A home fuel cell uses natural gas very efficiently through a chemical process that produces one third less CO2 than burning natural gas does.

Natural gas is converted into hydrogen using a catalytic process and then used to generate power through fuel cell technology. Home fuel cells can result in an energy savings of over 50% and unlike solar work during any weather.

Here is a an explanation of how home fuel cells from ClearEdge:

"The ClearEdge5 consists of three core components modularly designed for ease of installation and maintenance. The Fuel Processor converts natural gas into ultra-clean hydrogen through a catalytic process, as opposed to burning the natural gas, which dramatically reduces pollutants. The hydrogen is processed through a Fuel Cell Stack, creating direct current (DC) power and heat."

"The Power Conditioning Unit converts the DC electricity into alternating current (AC), which then ties directly to the main electrical panel, providing steady continuous power for your electricity needs. The heat produced by the fuel cell is moved to the building through a heat exchanger supplying a continuous source of heating for hot water or space heating." Source: ClearEdge Power

How Home Fuel Cells Are Used In The Home.

Home fuel cells produce both hot water and heat in addition to electricity which is fed back into the grid, turning your electric meter backwards. New home fuel cell units are smaller than a refrigerator and are designed to last for decades with proper maintenance. They don't replace grid power, but instead supplement grid supplied electricity and reduce overall use significantly. The systems usually do not provide backup power but can be configured if the homeowner requests, to power a single circuit, such as lights or refrigerators.

Government Incentives For Home Fuel Cell Systems

Of all the states California has a greater number of incentives for fuel cells including ones from Pacific Gas and Electric, Southern California Edison and Southern California gas. In addition there are Federal rebates available that cover up to thirty percent of the cost of a home fuel cell system. If you are interested in a fuel cell system for your home contact your local utility and inquire about rebates and incentives.