Hydrogen fuel cells could well be the future of greener energy for homes in the future, they are essentially small power stations which provide electricity and an equivalent amount of heat for various purposes. Alkaline Fuel Cell Power is currently working to complete their first full 4 kW system in laboratory configuration with plans for the fuel cells to be available for purchase in 2024. Alkaline Fuel Cell Power’s fuel cells are to be used primarily in residential and small to medium commercial applications, where fuel cell use was not previously feasible. Hydrogen fuel cells can provide backup power when the electric grid goes down or serve as a replacement for it during peak hours. The electrical grid connection can also be replaced by a hydrogen fuel cell entirely, which could be more likely than you might think, as residential prices for electricity are projected to rise by 16% by 2031.
European governments are determined to make hydrogen a viable greener fuel alternative with legislature putting more pressure on the energy sector to make use of clean energy, as it has become a growing concern for the region. The European Union aims to invest $150 billion into renewable hydrogen by 2030 as part of an initiative started in 2020. Between €180 and €470 billion are estimated to be invested into renewable hydrogen by 2050 and as much as €18 into low-carbon (blue) hydrogen. In part due to this the hydrogen prices in the US and Europe are estimated to drop by 50% by the year 2050.
Hydrogen is extracted from water and can be entirely green if it is produced using renewable energy. Using this green hydrogen has zero negative impact on the environment (byjus.com). The hydrogen adoption is currently low, but the demand for it is steadily growing and outpacing supply as current technology is inadequate to meet market needs. Energy storage solutions comparable to that of Alkaline Fuel Cell Power are too expensive for adoption in residential purposes. The design of Alkaline Fuel Cell Power micro-CHPs has lower material costs than what is currently available, thus making it more viable for the consumer market. A high volume of production is also more feasible with Alkaline Fuel Cell Power manufacturing technology and component design.
