Risø DTU center for test, approval of fuel cells, hydrogen tech
- Publisher
- Elsevier Science
- Year
- 2010
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 79 KB
- Volume
- 2010
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 1464-2859
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✦ Synopsis
Japan aiming fuel cells at European homes
Japanese companies are poised to market fuel cell residential combined heat and power (CHP) systems in the UK and Germany, according to a BBC News report.
Companies such as Panasonic are in talks with EU governments to bring these devices to market in Europe. Japan has more than 5000 such systems in homes, supported by a halfprice government subsidy.
Panasonic describes the interest in its fuel cell commercialization from the German, Korean, and UK governments as 'intense'. The firm is bullish about possible exports of Japanese know-how to the UK and Germany, where gas is generally cheaper per kW than electricity.
Panasonic and Toshiba sell their cogeneration fuel cells through utilities such as Tokyo Gas for around ¥2-3 million (US$21 000-32 000). Panasonic claims 3000 customers so far, including the Japanese PM's office. In addition to the government subsidy, other incentives bring the price down for consumers to about ¥1m ($11 000).
'If the price falls again still, its popularity will gain momentum,' Yasumasa Kurosaki, general manager of Panasonic's fuel cell project, told the BBC. He says that the company aims to fix the per-unit price at around ¥0.5m ($5300) in the near future. 'We expect next year's sales to be up 20-30% on the last fiscal year,' he adds.
Free one-day seminar on UPS systems UK-based UPS Systems Plc is organizing a free, one-day seminar on fuel cells in realworld applications for business, on Thursday May 13 in Hungerford, Berkshire.
The seminar will discuss commercial fuel cell products that are available now, with presentations, displays and demonstrations on the products available as well as their uses in business. The focus is very much on real-world applications, in particular for IT, facilities, and power supply managers.