Success factors for demonstration projects of small-scale stationary fuel cells in residential buildings

Abstract

Worldwide small-scale micro-CHPs account for the largest share in the fuel cell market by units of installation (not by installed power output). Notably, the Japanese Ene-Farm program is responsible for over 400.000 micro-CHP fuel cell installations (until the end of June 2021). This is the largest worldwide deployment program and it reflects the long- and outstanding commitment of both the Japanese government and the Japanese industry to form a ‘Hydrogen Society’. In Europe, the situation is entirely different. European projects like PACE financed by the European joint undertaking for hydrogen and fuel cells give a positive impulse for fuel cell based micro-CHP, however it has to be judged as insufficient for a market transformation measure. Presently, only Germany, notably by the KFW433 program, is providing frame conditions for a rollout of fuel cell based micro-CHP systems. This article analyses the success factors for the implementation of Ene-Farm systems in Japan. It compares the different frame conditions of Japan and European countries like Austria and discusses the question whether an Ene-Farm project based on the Japanese success factors could be replicated in Austria. On a bird’s eye, a European perspective will be derived from the analysis.