OCT 08

ITM Power is pursuing projects that might represent a breakthrough in home hydrogen production.

In a 29 June progress report (pdf), ITM cites progress in two arenas:

• A Home Electrolyser: "to convert renewable or off peak electricity into hydrogen." When it comes to this, ITM is claiming that they are ahead of schedule, having now met their December 2007 test schedule and stating that "this programme was accelerated ... for 2008 factory production units."

Thus, to make it clear, ITM Power is stating that they plan to have home electrolysers for hydrogen production coming off the factory line sometime next year.

But what is the use of that hydrogen? What is that utility?

• BiFuel Car: ITM has a duel fuel (gasoline, hydrogen) vehicle that they are road testing. This hybrid can do 25 miles on its hydrogen before switching to gasoline.

Considering that most driving is less than 25 miles per day, even this limited range provides a path (like with Plug-In Electric Vehicles) for moving from gasoline to electrical power. The key question will become: Which is operational and fiscally the most effective way to move from fossil fuel to electricity based (whether electric battery or hydrogen produced with electricity) transportation?

However, ITM Power has a greater vision, as can be seen in this recent journal article: Implementation and control of electrolysers to achieve high penetrations of renewable power. This views electrolysers as a key path for dealing with the intermittency challenge. Again, a great vision, but the financial, infrastructure, and technical challenges must be judged against alternatives.

Recently discussed is linking home hydrogen production with household energy use, for heating and cooking.

A major breakthrough in hydrogen technology is set to offer the housing market a chance to move towards supplying sustainable and non-polluting power. A UK company, ITM Power plc, has developed a device which can generate hydrogen in the home to fuel central heating boilers and cookers while drastically cutting CO₂ emissions. The development is a major advance towards the Government's goal of achieving a zero carbon new housing market by 2016. Currently domestic consumers account for over 20 percent of the UK's CO₂ emissions.

Again, we need to wonder whether home hydrogen production really is the way to go in the mass market. But ... but ... but it could be and ITM is providing a path to help find out.

Home electrolysers coming off the factory line next year: Could that be a breakthrough event?

Comments (16)

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"generate hydrogen in the home to fuel c
written by Joel, October 08, 2007

I don't believe that burning coal to boil water to drive a turbine to crank a generator to power an electrolyzer to split hydrogen to fire a boiler is necessarily the most efficient way to do things.

In fact, I'm absolutely certain it emits more carbon than simply heating the water with electricity, which, in turn, emits more than would be used by a propane or natural gas system.

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Generally in agreement with Joel ...
written by A Siege, October 08, 2007

Have to say that I'm not a big "fan" of this, but it is interesting to see it as a development.

Now, what if that home electrolyzer is being fed by wind power, storing up energy when there is excess production to be burned/used when demand is lower?

Or, is centrally controlled, such that the hydrogen is only produced off-peak, with electricity that would be wasted otherwise?

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Where is the free stuff...
written by Clovis, October 08, 2007

Why not power that Home Electrolyzer with solar energy from the roof?

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...
written by Webster, October 08, 2007

I'd be interested to see how much hydrogen these things can crank out. If they produce enough to fill more than a single car, you'd probably see clubs springing up around them the way biodiesel clubs work now.

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Changing my mind
written by Joel, October 10, 2007

After I posted my first comment, I realized they were probably talking about co-generation of electricity and hot water, using fuel cells.

In this case, a home H2 tank would serve as an energy reservoir, to balance out the load cycle of the grid by generating electricity when the home needs it, and storing (and using) some of the energy that is wasted in that process. Which is not such a bad idea at all.

Though given the platinum needed to make most styles of hydrogen fuel cell, I'm not sure this is economically viable, either.

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This is much better than sliced bread.
written by J Metz, October 18, 2007

My home has solar pv to entirely offset my electrical energy needs, (no gas on the property,) & I have 4 m0ore panels & space on the roof for them. I have been looking for something very much like this. How about the panels produce the electricity to run the electrolizer which then burns in my stove top, etc. Its actually harder to find hydrogen ready appliances than electrolizers. Appliances have to be stainless or such to avoid all that water vapor.

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PS
written by J Metz, October 18, 2007

And no baking, more like steaming in the oven.

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...
written by mike, December 08, 2007

new heating systems use pvc pipe to exit exhaust from the system. witch is very low heat and water vapor.I think this i a great idea and if they mass produce I will be the first to buy because I power my house with wind and solar power and would also like to heat with hydrogen.

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Seems this may be the future
written by Dan, December 11, 2007

Bottom line, we need to move away from fossil fuel infastructure. Honda has a hydrogen FC power car avb for purchase. Refueling stations already exist for liquid petrol, hydrogen pumps could be easily added to these. Battery technology is far too expensive and a standard for recharging / in situ replacement of the unit would have to be agreed by all car manuf. Hydrogen FCs are powerful enough for our needs, similar in fuel properties to LPG / Petrol to ensure ease of cross over, and can be produced in large qualties by natural gas, until altenative, renewable sources can meet demands. So in a way oels right, I just don't think he's seeing the bigger picture.

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...
written by Dan, December 12, 2007

Oh , and while I'm here, does cooking with hydrogen really create more water vapour?
By my rekoning, 2 moles of hydrogen combine with 1 mole of oxygen creating two moles of water vapour. with methane 1m of meth combine with 2m of oxygen giving 1m carbon dioxide and 2 moles water vapour. So methane produces more water.
Also hydrogen produces more energy per gram than methane, although obviously with methane being 8x as massive energy per mole is larger.

So you need to burn approx 3x as many moles of hydrogen to get the same energy, giving three times as much water vapour. hummm.

Although with a fuel cell you'd 'burn' less mass of hydrogen and get more energy and run your electric cooker that way?

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WHERE is it
written by Carol, January 11, 2008

the term vaporware always comes to mind when i read such things.... i'd purchase one today if one were available but have been reading about such things for years without having ever had the opportunity to do so.... the other consideration of course is initial investment... if this is a 10k unit then they might as well shut down this instant cause such a unit would be DOA.... 2k would be more like it.... we ALL know that electrol of water can be done and that engines will run on H2 with just a bit of modification and i sure wish that people would stop annoucing such things and "plans" as if such announcements constituted any news or change in the status quo

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Hydrogen Economy - Not Overnight
written by Brian, January 29, 2008

Its strange how some people expect a silver bullet.
This is not going to happen overnight. H2 production
equates to electricity production. It requires power
to create the H2. The H2 is therefore a type of
battery. The major goal is to move away from oil
dependance. To do that, it must be economically
competitive with oil. If these units (electrolysers)
can be produced, they will not become mass market
overnight. Costs will reduce over time. Production
of H2 economically is the one thing holding back
the Hydrogen economy and the HFCV. The source of
power for the electrolyser is an important sub-issue.
Possibilities are combinations of coal, nuclear,
solar, wind.

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dds
written by Jemmma, April 01, 2008

:) ;) :D ;D >:( :( :o 8) :P :- :-*

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Sr. Instrument Engineer
written by Jim, April 16, 2008

I'd be happy to jump on this bandwagon if I could scrap my oil furnace and the -$4.00/ gal fuel that it requires. A hydrogen heater would surely be cheaper to operate.

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...
written by mike, April 27, 2008

check out, youtube, search for simple hydrogen production and go from there...............

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folkman
written by jem, April 20, 2009

Thanks all. Off-peak grid power, if abundant and cheap could be nice when turned into clean communte fuel. We are fortunate to have solar so that means free clean commute fuel for us--especially if we could easily adapt our cars for dual-fuel use. Gasoline and H2. Changeover with a switch on the dash for extended drives. Keep your car! Don't need separate vehicles for commute and for out of town travel. Would this not start a revolution? Doable?

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