28 Jun 2012, 9:31 PM The first UK home powered by a fuel cell has gone on sale after a gas-to-electricity generator has been installed by house-builder Crest Nicholson in a four-bedroom family home in the Noble Park development on the outskirts of Epsom, Surrey.
The first UK home powered by a fuel cell has gone on sale after a gas-to-electricity generator has been installed by house-builder Crest Nicholson in a four-bedroom family home in the Noble Park development on the outskirts of Epsom, Surrey.
Ceramic Fuel Cells, who supplied the system, says this is the UK's first ever installation of a microgeneration certificate scheme (MCS) accredited micro power and heat fuel cell in a new build home, providing power, heating and hot water.
The fuel cell chemically converts natural gas into electricity and heat and will meet all the heating, hot water and power needs of the four bedroom home.
The home as designed would have reached level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes if it was fitted with a conventional boiler, but the developer said the fuel cell took the home “way over” the energy requirements of CSH level 4.
The manufacturer is now consulting with energy company E.ON to supply the system on the open market.
Initially the unit would sell for £25,000 but buyers would recoup the cost within 10 years because of the efficiency of the system leading to low electricity costs, plus elegibility for feed in tariff repayments. In theory the price would come down if sales volumes increased.
Code for Sustainable Homes level 4 means cutting carbon emissions by 44 percent from 2006 Part L Building Regulations levels. In 2016 the requirement for all new build homes increases to'"zero carbon', meaning the building fabric of the home and onsite power and heat generation must cut emissions by at least 70% from 2006 levels, equivalent to zero net carbon emissions from regulated energy, which is that used for heating, hot water, lighting and building (services) consumption, over the course of a year.
In addition to the energy reduction requirements, the Noble Park homes meet all the other elements of the 2010 Code for Sustainable Homes level 4, which include design for low water consumption, enhanced ecological protection, Lifetime Homes and Secure by Design criteria.
Cheers
CFU Price at posting:
8.0¢ Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held
