Fuel cell for buildings and urban quarters

Renewable energies such as photovoltaic, wind and hydroelectric power will form vital components of energy supply in the future. This is also and particularly true for buildings and urban quarters. Energy supply that is as carbon-neutral as possible should also be efficient, fail-safe, scalable and flexible. Solar power and wind power have their limitations in this regard. By their very nature, there are times when the sun doesn’t shine or the wind doesn’t blow. Yet the electricity grid of the present and the future must be resilient at all times. To ensure no supply gaps occur, we have created the Bosch SOFC fuel cell, which represents another technological component that is a key pillar of the transformation of energy systems. Our fuel-flexible system has been designed for use with hydrogen, making the SOFC technology a pioneer in the hydrogen economy. SOFC can already be used with natural gas or biomethane fuel, and generates significantly lower emissions than conventional energy converters. Have we piqued your interest?

Find out about our pilot plant for Bamberg municipal works

Producing energy flexibly

Our SOFC system can be installed wherever decentralized energy is required. This includes buildings and urban quarters, for example. A fuel cell solution is particularly well suited to this situation because it works on a decentralized basis, while also being individually scalable, and can be integrated flexibly into different systems. Our SOFC fuel cell was developed for use with hydrogen and is therefore capable of using the energy source with great efficiency. If the fuel cell operates purely with hydrogen, carbon dioxide emissions are eliminated entirely. If the hydrogen is also produced on a carbon-neutral basis (green hydrogen), this applies to the entire value chain. Our SOFC is ready for use with natural gas or biomethane already. Up to 20 percent hydrogen can be added. This makes our SOFC significantly lower in emissions than conventional energy converters.

You can find out more about our SOFC technology here

A single SOFC unit can supply energy to approximately 20 four-person households or an average supermarket.

With a high-performance system

The residential sector accounts for about 20 percent of international end use energy consumption (IEA, 2021). End use energy is the energy received by the consumer in the form of electricity, heat or fuel, for example. Generated from primary energy sources such as lignite, mineral oil or wind, it can be used by households once it has been converted. The increasing electrification of urban life, the expansion of e-mobility and digitalization all require an efficient, high-performance electrical power supply. In short, the global megatrend of “electrification” is causing a rise in power requirements – including in the building sector. Air source heat pumps, EV charging points and ever increasing numbers of digital devices must be supplied with sufficient energy going forward. Fluctuations in supply and unscheduled outages are potential scenarios in the energy revolution. This is always a risk when demand is higher than the volume of energy arriving at the building.

This is where our SOFC systems come in. These powerful on-site solutions can supply entire building complexes or urban quarters with electricity and heat. This makes not only the in-building electricity infrastructure more resilient, but also the entire public grid. The Bosch SOFC can match conventional energy generation systems such as block heating stations (and other combined heat and power (CHP) units), district heating or grid electricity in terms of efficiency and operating costs, too. The high-temperature exhaust gas produced by the electrochemical process can be used for heating or cooling, which increases the cost-effectiveness of our SOFC significantly. This is a major advantage over other decentralized energy generation systems.

Air source heat pumps, EV charging points and ever increasing numbers of digital devices need a high-performance, reliable electricity supply. The flexible and scalable Bosch fuel cell system can be adapted to the relevant power demands.

Our SOFC – the sustainable solution for buildings and urban quarters

Buildings and urban quarters pose a very specific challenge when it comes to electricity supply. With our SOFC we can rise to that challenge. We currently have several pilot plants in operation so as to continuously improve our product up to series ramp-up.

Lower costs

Energy generated through fuel cell technology is more cost-effective than grid electricity, district heating and energy from CHP systems. This cuts the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), and the return on investment comes faster. Furthermore, the resilience of the SOFC technology and the distribution of power generation across several units also ensure failsafe operation and supply reliability. The high-temperature exhaust gases produced by the SOFC are also a good heat source for heating buildings. If this heat is used, the SOFC can be operated even more cost-effectively. The bottom line is that, in the fuel cell system, Bosch is providing a future-proof, sustainable technology that can already keep pace with the established solutions from an economic perspective.

Greater independence

Greater independence

The energy landscape is changing. Future trends such as electrification, digitalization and decarbonization require new methods of energy generation. The global demand for electricity and connectivity has never been as high as it is now. With SOFC systems, the choice of location is not dependent on the availability of existing access to the power grid. Decentralized on-site power generation is therefore considerably more flexible.

Simple installation

The Bosch SOFC is being developed as a standardized system. Its high level of prefabrication means it can be quickly and easily installed and flexibly combined with other systems (such as air source heat pumps, photovoltaics or battery storage). Once connected, the units go about their work almost unnoticed – quietly and with few vibrations.

High efficiency

The Bosch fuel cell system achieves an electrical efficiency level of more than 60 percent at beginning of life. Fossil fuels can’t compete. The average electrical efficiency rate of a coal- or gas-fired power station is only around 45 percent, while a lignite-fired power station barely reaches 40 percent (Source: Average gross efficiency of conventional power plants, German Environment Agency). If waste heat is included, an SOFC system can even reach an overall efficiency level of more than 85 percent.

Flexible scalability

Depending on their purpose, several SOFC units can be connected with each other, enabling scalability from 50 to several hundred kilowatts. To make this more concrete, a single SOFC unit can supply enough power for approximately 20 four-person households or an average supermarket. It is therefore not a problem to deliver energy to large building complexes or even whole clusters. Supermarkets serve as an example of buildings with a large footprint and high energy consumption.

Proven sustainability

The SOFC is being developed and designed to run on hydrogen alone in the future. When supplied with green hydrogen, it generates electricity with an excellent carbon usage effectiveness (CUE) score, as no CO₂ is emitted. Waste heat is generated as a by-product, and this can be used in various ways, further increasing the energy reuse effectiveness (ERE). The fuel cell can also be operated using natural gas or biomethane. When run on natural gas, its emissions are two thirds less than those of conventional coal-fired power stations.

Contact

Would you like to use the Bosch SOFC system in your infrastructure?

Click here for the contact form for potential customers

_{The Bosch SOFC system is currently in the pilot phase. All technical specifications given are development objectives and refer to the beginning of life.}

Share this on:

Our fuel cell for buildings and urban quarters – highly efficient, reliable, and environmentally friendly

Producing energy flexibly

With a high-performance system