Analyses on Cost Reduction and CO₂ Mitigation by Penetration of Fuel Cells to Residential Houses

This paper presents analyses on the penetration of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFC) into a group of 10 residential houses and its effects of CO₂ emission mitigation and consumers' cost reduction in next 30 years. The price is considered to be reduced as the penetration progress which is expected to begin in near future. An experimental curve is assumed to express the decrease of the price. Installation of energy interchange systems which involve electricity, gas and hydrogen between a house which has a FC and contiguous houses is assumed to utilize both electricity and heat more efficiently, and to avoid start-stop operation of fuel processor (reformer) as much as possible. A multi-objective model which considers CO₂ mitigation and consumers' cost reduction is constructed and provided a Pareto optimum solution. A solution which simultaneously realizes both CO₂ mitigation and consumers' cost reduction appeared in the Pareto optimum solution. Strategies to reduce CO2 emission and consumers' cost are suggested from the results of the analyses. The analyses also revealed that the energy interchange systems are effective especially in the early stage of the penetration.