Contact

Back to the End of the Line?

By

June 6, 2017

Image titel:

Sources:

Back to the End of the Line?

Augsten

Photo: E. Augsten

The most important trade show of the heating and sanitation industry, the ISH in Frankfurt, Germany, showed from March 14 through 18 this year what kind of heating systems are in demand these days. Fuel cells did not seem to play much of a role at the event. Only one of the big manufacturers of heating systems made news in this segment, and what for news: Vaillant is on its way out (see Vaillant Puts Fuel Cell Heating on Ice). Spokesperson Martin Schellhorn explained: “Technologically, everything’s great, but the market isn’t becoming sustainable. So far, the benefits of economies of scale have not materialized.” Still, Vaillant would complete currently running projects (e.g., ene.field) and continue to maintain all installed systems thereafter.

The other exhibitors did not seem any more optimistic about the fuel cell’s outlook than Vaillant. The only thing Buderus and Junkers had to announce was that “more than a hundred” systems of both brands had been installed, as estimated by spokesperson Jörg Bonkowski.

Advertisements

Vaillant’s competitor Viessmann presented its fuel cell heating system Vitovalor together with a battery storage unit called Vitocharge. The combination of both devices is intended to provide more independence from the grid in residential buildings. Anyone who also buys a PV system can produce electricity during summer when the fuel cell operated based on heat demand shuts down due to a fully heated tank.

Elcore, based in the German state of Bavaria, painted a bit of a different picture. It was planning to create new sales channels, for which it had just established a partnership with Solvis, a manufacturer of heating systems from the solar industry. Several hundred installers are said to first undergo a one-day training course to install a combination of Elcore 2400 and SolvisMax, a system to be marketed through Solvis. The energy management system SolvisMax is a fully integrated heating device consisting of a 750-liter (or 198-gallon) stratified storage unit, a condensing boiler for peak loads and controls. Not a single watt will be lost, as the boiler is basically located inside the storage unit. Elcore’s fuel cell device is placed next to it as a backup heater.

Advertisements

About a week before the ISH started, Elcore announced that German energy corporation E.ON had become a strategic investor …

e-journal

Even pellet boilers and solar systems were seemingly not as ubiquitous as they had been just a few years ago. In the minds of heating system suppliers, “environmental protection” and “innovation” seem to be inextricably linked with “heat pumps” and “internet connection” today.

HPS presents: Picea

HPS Home Power Solutions – a spin-off from Heliocentris, which had filed for bankruptcy (see also: The Break-Up of Heliocentris) – unveiled at the ISH a novel and comprehensive approach to supply nearly all of a building with electricity from solar energy and hydrogen. This system called Picea consists of a fuel cell, a battery storage unit, an electrolyzer and a hydrogen tank. The actual energy source is a PV system, which is not sold by HPS. Any solar power (10 kW for a four-people household) not used immediately will be stored in the battery. Once the battery is fully charged (at 25 kWh), the electrolyzer starts producing hydrogen. The H2 tank outside the house has a capacity from 350 to 1,000 kWh and requires four to six square meters (43 to 65 square feet) to set up. (more information will be available in the next issues of h2-international).

Author: Eva Augsten

Here are interesting and current articles on the topic of hydrogen – stocks and the stock market!

Economic prospects for companies in the hydrogen sector | Future, stocks & hydrogen companies on the stock exchange and more…

Which hydrogen companies will prevail in the competitive market in the long term? Get tips and cartwheels and learn more about risks or opportunities. Our stock market specialist and expert author Sven Jösting reports critically, independently and competently.

Mar 18 2024

Search for the ideal hydrogen storage

Interview with Thomas Korn, CEO of water stuff & sun Startup company water stuff & sun has...
Mar 15 2024

Is exponential growth slowing down?

Fuel Cell Industry Review 2022 Year 2022 saw fuel cell shipments creep up over 2021 numbers,...
Mar 11 2024

On the way to becoming a green hydrogen partner

Oman aims to score points with H2 infrastructure Wind, sun and loads of expertise – these...
Mar 07 2024

We can master a scale-up for green hydrogen

Interview with Dr. Kai Fischer, Director at RWTH Aachen The efficient scaling of green hydrogen...
Mar 07 2024

Frustration over continuing uncertainties

Interview with Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, CEO of Hydrogen Europe There is a lot that needs sorting out...
Mar 05 2024

“If ever there was momentum for hydrogen, it is now”

Interview with Dr. Jochen Köckler, chairman of Deutsche Messe “We’re bringing people together.”...
Feb 28 2024

H2Direkt: Blueprint for heating with pure H2

The energy providers Thüga und Energie Südbayern (ESB) as well as Energienetze Bayern have...
Feb 26 2024

Just switch over?

Hydrogen in the existing natural gas network Whether hydrogen contributes to the clean heating...
Feb 26 2024

Pilot plant for coating bipolar plates

At Fraunhofer FEP (Fraunhofer-Institut für Organische Elektronik, Elektronenstrahl- und...
Feb 20 2024

55 MW electrolyzer to decarbonize Saarland

Hydrogen Regions series: HydroHub Fenne living lab The power plant site in Fenne, Völklingen, a...
Feb 20 2024

Chicken feathers as FC membrane material

Feathers from chickens or other poultry could in the future help make fuel cells more effective...
Feb 15 2024

SMEs demand more security

Guest article by André Steinau, CEO of GP Joule Hydrogen After all, the Ampel Coalition leading...
Feb 15 2024

Accelerated expansion of renewable energies

RED III is here – Elsewhere, the wait continues Progress is being made at EU level – albeit...
Feb 12 2024

Picea 2 relies on lithium instead of lead

HPS presents new product generation The company HPS Home Power Solutions has unveiled a new...
Feb 12 2024

H2 production by photocatalysis

The direct generation of hydrogen from sunlight has long been considered the most elegant solution...
Feb 05 2024

Regional instead of international

Hy-Fcell has it difficult asserting itself The aspiration of Landesmesse Stuttgart with Hy-Fcell...
Feb 01 2024

Hydrogeit Verlag turns 20 years old

Hydrogeit Verlag is proudly celebrating its 20th anniversary as a renowned specialist publisher in...
Jan 26 2024

Stracke other H2Now managing director

BMV Energy GmbH is entering the market as another player in hydrogen refueling stations. The...
Jan 26 2024

Starting points for a comprehensive hydrogen ramp-up

Industry congress GAT 2023 in Cologne To establish a functioning hydrogen economy, the entire...
Jan 26 2024

The industry highpoint in autumn

Hydrogen Technology Expo total success In autumn 2023 as well, the Hydrogen Technology Expo was...

0 Comments

Leave a Reply