solar-hydrogen house still a work in progress - home energy storage system

East Anwell Township, N. J.
In October 2006, engineer Mike Strizki transformed his home in New Jersey into the first zero in the United States.
It followed a series of media attention, including a special report in The New York Times Magazine.
At that time, sir.
Strizki predicts that his prototype system will begin to become more affordable as production costs fall and energy prices rise.
In addition, he said it could help save the world from global warming.
Two years later, Sir.
Strizki's renewable energy International has not yet installed a new system and has not received any significant source of investor funding. But R. E. I.
Its first customers, including a homeowner in the Cayman Islands and Mr.
Stritzki remains unreservedly optimistic.
"In two years, I will install these things around the world," he said . ".
"I will be licensed for the franchise.
I will work on improving these units every day.
"Now the prototype system installed on Mr.
Strizki's 3,000-square-
Foot home works by converting the energy collected by the solar panel into hydrogen, which is stored in a propane tank in his backyard.
When solar panels can't meet the energy needs of his house and his spare battery is low, say on a cloudy day in winter, hydrogen fills a blank hydrogen fuel cell by powering the solar cell.
Hydrogen can also be used for zero-
Cars that emit fuel cells. The catch?
His prototype was built for $500,000.
Now, however, Sir.
Strizki says Version 2.
His system is almost ready and cheaper, smaller and more reliable.
He is assembling it one by one in his big garage, with the aim of getting it shipped to his customers on Grand Cayman before the middle of the dayDecember.
An improvement is a new fuel cell that is easy to maintain.
The 10 propane tanks he used in the prototype were only one high-
A pressure tank to be buried underground.
Many of the components he uses are "plug and play"and-
Play, "which means that the repair unit can be as simple as mailing the new part to the homeowner and having them slide it in place.
"I don't make solar panels or fuel cells . "Strizki said.
"I built a turnkey energy storage system. ”Last year, Mr.
Strizki told reporters that he will be able to build his next Solar/hydrogen system for about $100,000.
But the system will provide electricity to a similar 3,000-square-kilometer Cayman Islands.
According to Mr. foot, the actual price of foot home is about $230,000. Strizki. Mr.
The third system of Strizki will be installed in 6,000-square-
Walking home under construction in nearby Hopewell, N
J. it will cost about $530,000.
Chris Kneppers, that one. to-
He said he knew he paid extra for energy independence, but it was not a cost-efficiency issue for him.
"At the end of the day, I can look at myself in the mirror, look at my children, and say, 'I have done my part,'" Mr. Kneppers said. Although Mr.
Strizki's system may be installed in almost any place, and he believes his niche market will be found in places where there is special demand or economic incentive to store renewable energy, including islands, the cost of energy is usually high, and hurricanes often destroy the power grid;
No power grid in the world;
And where it is critical to have a reliable backup power system and fuel supply capabilitysite.
However, there are still some factors that may be related to Mr.
Strizki's system is considered a more mainstream energy solution.
One drawback of this system is that it is inefficient.
When solar energy is captured, stored as hydrogen, and then converted into electrical energy, about 50% of the potential power is lost.
For a homeowner in the Northeast, there are solar panels on the roof and connected to the grid, which means that more carbon emissions may be sent to the grid by sending the remaining solar energy to be used by others, instead of being stored at home as hydrogen.
The argument did not discourage Obama. Strizki.
He sees his system as a system tailored for the future of clean and decentralized energy generation.
"I am more committed to doing this than ever, because it is the Holy Grail," he said . ".
"This is the final solution.
This is a disease that is not treated.
"Comments are no longer accepted.
The transmission power loss of the entire power grid is about 40%.
Good Technology-
Known, and technology for electrolysis, solar panels and fuel cells (
Research with subsidies)
The level of efficiency can be greatly improved.
In the past few months, there have been new efficient electrolytic catalysts and
Spectrum solar cells. Local (house-level)
Or, in addition to being more eco-friendly, distributed generation may be more powerful in nature than centralized systems.
Keep in mind that the central power system is currently receiving huge federal subsidies.
Your point about the loss of the grid due to resistance is a good point.
Distributed power is not only more eco-friendly but also more efficient because it is used on site or nearby and will not suffer any line loss.
The same is true for alternative fuel vehicles.
Plug-in cars put forward more demand for centralized power supply that suffers from line loss. Whereas CNG (
Compressed natural gas)
Or hydrogen cars generate power by burning inside the car, so there is no line loss, and burning is cleaner than gasoline or diesel.
I have been in the fuel cell industry for more than 40 years.
The network loss is about 10% and 10%.
The total energy system in residential applications is a good idea, but the cost of the fuel cell and its maximum life (1. 5 years)
After nearly 50 years of government-funded development, I am told that fuel cells are the driving force for the future and will always be the driving force for the future.
"When capturing solar energy, storing it as hydrogen, and then converting it into electrical energy, about 50% of the potential power is lost.
"As I learned in Bio 101, only solar energy that falls on plants is stored as carbohydrates.
Then it takes some time (
Millions of years)
And the right environment (
Pressure and temperature)
Turn these plants into fossil fuels.
So, what is the efficiency of solar energy to biomass to fossil fuel to power cycle?
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