TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT

Overview
Technical core
	PV Array
	Electrolyser
	Inverter
	Hydrogen
	Fuel Cell
	Matching
Building Integration
Economics
Environment
Risk Assessment
Conclusions
The Team
Links
References

LOG: week

HYDROGEN

It was decided that hydrogen would be the energy carrying medium for our stand alone system. This was decided for two important reasons - hydrogen is readily obtainable through the electrolysis of water and it is possible to produce electricity from hydrogen fuel cells. By designing our system this way, we need only sunlight and water to power our house.

Hydrogen molecule

Using hydrogen does not come without its problems. It is exceptionally difficult to store and is explosive over a large range of H2/O2 mixture fractions. These problems are addressed in the hydrogen storage and risk assessment sections.

The energy demands of our Scottish house were examined in detail and it was calculated that about 70% of our energy needs were in the form of thermal demands (such as water heating). Burning hydrogen to produce heat in a boiler was examined as an alternative to using the fuel cell to create electricity that would then produce heat. Click here to read more about our work on burning hydrogen.