Examples fuel cells

The waiting was over on 10 April 2007: the municipality of Teningen and EnBW put the latest fuel cell heater from the firm of Hexis AG, "Galileo", into operation in the kindergarten "Villa Kunterbunt". Teningen is thus taking part in the state-wide fuel cell program of EnBW for domestic power supplies.

The latest generation of fuel cell

The system installed in Teningen, "Galileo 1000 N", is the latest and completely revised fuel cell type from the manufacturer Hexis AG. With a width and depth of around 55 cm, a height of 160 cm and a weight of 170 instead of 450 kg, "Galileo" is much smaller and lighter than it predecessor model. The fuel cell has a maximum electrical output of one kW and a maximum thermal output of 3.05 kW. An additional heat generator with a thermal output of 20 kW is integrated in the device for heat requirement peaks.

An ultramodern low-temperature fuel cell heater from the manufacturer BAXI INNOTECH (formerly european fuel cell, efc) was put into operation in Schwetzingen in November 2006. Since then, the Protestant Lutherhaus has been supplied efficiently and ecologically with electricity and heat in combination with a conventional gas-fired condensing boiler – “an important step towards the energy of the future" – as agreed by all concerned.

The system installed in the Parish Hall has a maximum electrical output of 1.5 kW and a maximum thermal output of 3.0 kW. An additional heat generator with 15 kW thermal output is integrated in the device for the heat requirement peaks. The fuel cell heater was connected to the existing natural gas network of the Schwetzingen utilities.

Students at the heating and sanitary training centre in Ellwangen are better informed about fuel cell technology than many master craftsmen. The reason: the high-temperature fuel cell of the type Sulzer Hexis HXS 1000 Premiere from the EnBW test program is in use in Ellwangen for the first time for industrial training.

All that's needed is a natural gas connection

Highly efficiently, quietly and extremely low in pollutants is how the fuel cell produces energy from hydrogen - which in this case is produced from natural gas. It's mode of operation is both simple and ingenious: a controlled chemical reaction occurs in the fuel cell between hydrogen and oxygen to release electricity and heat. What's left is water.

A big effect in a small space

The maximum electrical output of this plant is one kilowatt; the maximum thermal output is 24.5 kW with an additional burner. Its compact size is also convincing: 1.80 m high, one metre wide and 0.7 m deep. Which means that there is room for this fuel cell almost anywhere.

Our partner in this project is the Rural District of Ostalbkreis.