A technological solution for everywhere energy supply with sun, hydrogen and fuel cells

The hydrogen economy is still at the beginning but the society, innovation, and market push inexorably towards hydrogen, inspiring the idea to build an energy integrated system that can satisfy, in an independent way, the energy needs of small size consumers. The technologies used for the system design are already available in the market and, at least for the standard solutions, sufficiently mature. The innovation consists of an integration, optimization and industrialization of this modular system, which is an electric zero emissions generator, giving as output power 3,5 kW P. This is the only system able to produce its own fuel, guaranteeing renewable and clean energy, available where and when you want. This system is constituted of a polymer membrane electrolyser, a metal hydride tank, that absorbs and desorbs hydrogen, and a polymer fuel cell. The system modularity can satisfy also greater energy requirements and the hydrogen storage by metal hydride at low pressure guarantees the system safety. Copyright © 2005 by ASME.