BDR Thermea Group showcases first hydrogen-powered domestic boiler
08 July 2019
The first hydrogen-powered domestic boiler was recently put into operation in a real life situation in Rozenburg, the Netherlands. The boiler was developed by BDR Thermea Group, a leading manufacturer of smart thermal comfort solutions, whose mission is developing and producing heating and hot water solutions with virtually no CO2 emissions.
The boiler burns pure hydrogen that has been produced by wind or solar energy. Gas network provider Stedin, the company that has initiated the project, is responsible for the production and supply of the sustainably produced hydrogen.
This is the first real life situation in which pure hydrogen will be used to fuel a high-efficiency condensing boiler to heat the central heating system of a residential building. The boiler was developed by BDR Thermea Group’s Research and Development (R&D) competence center in Italy. After the first pilot in the Netherlands, which is being carried out by the Group’s Dutch subsidiary Remeha, it is carrying out a larger scale field trial in the United Kingdom. New opportunities for projects in other European countries are now being explored as part of the broader, pan-European development of this technology.
Sustainably produced hydrogen is an important, potentially very interesting energy carrier for the future. Power to gas (hydrogen) is an unavoidable and necessary technology if we want to store sustainably generated energy over a longer period of time, as abundant wind and solar energy is not always immediately available at times of greatest need, such as during the winter. With the new hydrogen boiler, along with our fuel cell appliances, we are firmly committed to making the built environment more sustainable.
—Bertrand Schmitt, CEO of BDR Thermea Group
The operating principle of the hydrogen boiler is the same as that of a boiler running on natural gas. In the future, we will be able to exchange conventional gas boilers for hydrogen boilers on a like for like basis, provided the supply of hydrogen is available through natural gas pipelines. That is why co-operation with network operators is of crucial importance to BDR Thermea Group. In addition to the pilot in Rozenburg, we will also participate in a large-scale demonstration project in the United Kingdom. Over 400 hydrogen boilers will be installed over the next two years.
We would like to invite other network operators and building owners in Europe to collaborate in field tests as well. In this way, the development of a CO2-free heat supply will be accelerated. This will also boost the production of sustainable, green hydrogen using wind and solar energy.
—Peter Snel, CTO of BDR Thermea Group
The Dutch project in Rozenburg is a joint initiative with network operator Stedin, the municipality of Rotterdam and housing cooperative Ressort Wonen. The hydrogen boiler will be installed in a boiler room alongside an existing conventional natural gas boiler which will ensure that the residents have sufficient heat and hot water at all times. Stedin is using an existing regular pipeline to supply the hydrogen, demonstrating that the existing gas network is suitable for carrying hydrogen. In this project, Stedin and its partners are considering the entire chain of the future: the production, distribution and conversion of hydrogen, with the ultimate aim of providing zero-carbon comfort.
Hypedrogen is a solution in search of a problem.
And there is the problem. Stop creating the problem (insisting that everything must be "renewable" rather than nuclear), and hypedrogen no longer makes sense.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 08 July 2019 at 04:23 AM
There's always morons mentioning nuclear who don't understand energy, materials, load, the issues the power grid deals with.
Morons everywhere
Posted by: Munixx | 08 July 2019 at 04:45 AM
ORLY? France's grid has been as much as 80% nuclear since the build-out. Show me a serious industrial grid anywhere that has been 80% wind plus solar over even one year... and no, countries connected to hydro-heavy neighbors don't count.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 08 July 2019 at 05:20 AM
Clean H2, from a mix of excess REs (Hydro-Wind-Solar) is an excellent way to extend 24/7 use of low cost excess REs and allow progressive closing of CPPs, NGPPs and NPPs and reduce pollution and GHGs at least until such time as new much lower cost NPPs can be built and operated..
Posted by: HarveyD | 08 July 2019 at 09:37 AM
More Greenie propaganda from AlzHarvey. How much more to make your weekly quota?
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 08 July 2019 at 06:13 PM
Pro-nuclear (at all cost) SAEP will soon take note of the arrival of the growing H2 economy with more 24/7 clean REs (with appropriate low cost storage) when they seriously start to replace many polluting ICEVs, CPPs, NGPPs and over priced NPPs.
I don't mind being called a greenie by Nuke SAEP. I know that it may take up to 10 (+)years to recuperate the investments made in improved doors/windows, Heat pumps for heating/cooling and hot water - improved temperature controls, HEVs, LED lights, induction cooking plates and future BEVs/FCEVs etc but I will feel better for it. It will be my small contribution to a safer, clean planet.
Posted by: HarveyD | 09 July 2019 at 06:37 AM
Oh, there are alternatives to fission power. Space solar power satellites would do it. Hydrogen fusion, if we can get it to work. But Greenies hate SSPS as much or more than nuclear, and commercial fusion has been 20 years away for the last 60 years.
Your "H2 economy" is an excuse to keep fossil fuel viable. If I'm for anything "at any cost", it is decarbonization (which requires defossilization).
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 09 July 2019 at 08:25 AM
Without dropping high cost NPPs completely, SAEP could use some of his spare energy to support other clean lower cost green technologies such as combined Hydro-Wind-Solar, high efficiency electrolysers, fixed and mobile FCs, fixed and mobiles H2 storage units etc ?
Posted by: HarveyD | 09 July 2019 at 11:12 AM
What part of "unreliables can't do the job" and "hypedrogen is a solution in search of a problem" don't you understand, AlzHarvey?
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 09 July 2019 at 11:43 AM
SAEP will soon see the light and accept other clean (lower cost) energy sources (other than costly NPPs) together with fully and/or partially electrified land-sea-air transports, improved fully electrified homes -buildings-factories-schools, improved farming to reduce water and energy consumption, vegan meat to replace (some) beef, veal, porc, progressive ban of all non-reusable plastics, ocean clean up robots to capture many million tonnes of damaging plastics etc.
We may NOT have many other choices if we want to survive on this small planet for a few more centuries,
Posted by: HarveyD | 09 July 2019 at 02:37 PM
For general information, Quebec & Labrador have the potential for another 50,000+ megawatt of clean hydro energy and up to 95,000 megawatt of collocated clean wind energy, specially in windy areas near the Ocean and Hudson Bay shores. Slow turning, 15 megawatt wind turbines, installed on higher towers, in the right places, can have an average outputs of over 50% of name plate. Nearby, hydro plants with large water reservoirs can fill in for the other 50% on a short-mid-long basis.
New Hydro plants + Wind turbines + High Voltage power lines would cost less than 1/3 the cost of 100 to 160 new NPPs.
Posted by: HarveyD | 09 July 2019 at 02:57 PM
50 GW nameplate, given seasonal flows and reservoir limits, probably means 20 GW average. You're talking 67.5 GW of power between interconnects with an average demand of probably 500 GW. What part of "can't do the heavy lifting" didn't you understand?
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 09 July 2019 at 03:08 PM
Here's something for those who take Green propaganda at face value:
Now watch AlzHarvey ignore this just like all the rest.Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 09 July 2019 at 03:09 PM
Multiplying clean e-energy production by 3X will not be required until our population grows by 3X + or more or close to 30,000,000. That could take another 2 or 3 centuries.
Of course, many thousands large electrified green houses may be required to feed that many people, but it could be done with low cost clean electricity and very high efficiency heat pumps.
Posted by: HarveyD | 09 July 2019 at 03:15 PM
You're in luck, it needn't take more than a few years. Justin Trudeau wants to invite the whole Turd World to live in Canada! At least half of the 32 million Venezuelans would like to get out of their Bolivarian disaster area, and that would do it right there. Then there are 200 million Nigerians, 86+ million Congolese and 15 million Somalis you can have for the asking.
So, just what are the material and energy requirements for so many greenhouses? Would, say, the plastic skins require petroleum? Do you have that much, especially for the on-going replacements? What becomes of the vegetation on the land repurposed for greenhouses, and the wildlife that used to live there?
Congolese are already heading for Portland Maine in substantial numbers, and Lewiston is full of Somalis. We can arrange to send them onward to Montreal if you like. Just don't expect us to take them back if they turn out to be not to your liking.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 09 July 2019 at 07:58 PM
Hi All,
Here is a link to a very timely and interesting article. Although it is a bit dated, the economics and physics of the issue remain the same.
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/401988/a-pollution-free-hydrogen-economy-not-so-soon/amp/
Posted by: Ni Sh | 11 July 2019 at 06:02 AM
Fortunately, the son of PET may not be around by end of October 2019. Our next government will have to find ways to better protect our South Border and restrict the flow of illegals from USA The 13 provincial/territorial leaders have very recently agreed to match/restrict immigration to labours required.
USA will (like demanded of Mexico) have do more to restrict the flow of illegals going through USA to Canada. We cannot be the ongoing endless dumping ground. China may have to help Africa-Mid-So-America to better use-manage local resources to prosper the way it did with great success.
Posted by: HarveyD | 11 July 2019 at 12:07 PM