LivingH2

The project „LivingH2“ aims for the demonstration of a complete solution of a renewable hydrogen power supply in a living lab environment, using a H2 fuel cell cogeneration system, fed with hydrogen generated by electrolysis from renewable power. The innovation of the project are the following points: (a) Improved fuel cell based CHP system with a new catalytic burner that works as the FC off-gas burner and as peak load burner, (b) Improved PEMFC MEAs (membrane electrode assemblies) to improve stability and lifetime for pure hydrogen operation, (c) Validation of a complete setup of a pure and renewable hydrogen CHP in a real but controlled environment to provide heat and power to a building. The project is organized around 5 main tasks (excluding coordination and dissemination tasks): 1. Development of improved PEMFC MEAs, 2. Integration of MEAs into stacks and performance assessment in representative conditions including impact of odorization, 3. Improvement and development of the FC CHP system, including new off-gas and peak load hydrogen burner, 4. Installation and demonstration of a complete system, including renewable hydrogen generation from PV power, hydrogen piping and odorization into a building, and pure H2 CHP to provide heat and power to a building, 5. Techno-economic, ecologic and social evaluation for the solution. The project will benefit from a French and German collaboration. Germany will provide a strong expertise on FC system development with inhouse and DBI namely, and the expertise of OTH on social, techno-economic and ecologic evaluation. France will provide its expertise through CEA on the development of new PEMFC MEAs, and through ENGIE as a committed worldwide player on energy solutions with hydrogen. Technical and research associates from DBI, OTH and inhouse will be hosted in France by Engie, in order to collaborate and help the integration of the FC CHP solution within Engie R&D premises. The development of pure H2 CHP can drastically impact the energy sector between the years 2030 and 2050, as renewable hydrogen is an essential solution as an energy storage to increase the share of renewable energy within the energy sector. Pure H2 CHP could become a CO2 free energy solution for buildings that should progressively replace existing natural based CHP solutions.