Sulzer Hexis Ltd, which develops and manufactures fuel cell systems for single-family homes, has signed a co-operation agreement with Gaz de France under which GDF will test a pre-series Sulzer system HXS 1000 Premiere unit. The system has just been delivered and installed; it will be in operation until the end of 2003.
Gaz de France will carry out the trial in a test house built at its research and development premises near Paris. Gaz de France has a research programme to evaluate the state of readiness of various fuel cell technologies and their suitability for the European and in particular French natural gas markets, including household applications.
The fuel cell, of the SOFC (solid oxide fuel cell) type, generates 1 kW of electrical and 2.5 kW of thermal power. A back-up heater cuts in automatically if additional thermal power is required. The Sulzer HXS 1000 is reckoned to cover the basic power needs and the entire heat requirements of a typical central European single-family home.
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