In mid-2016, the world’s first fully self-sufficient house was completed in the Swiss village of Brütten. In the year and a half since its completion, the year-round functionality of the self-sufficient energy supply has been guaranteed by a clever storage system. The fuel cell technology used for this purpose was provided by the company Proton Motor Fuel Cell using the proven VECTOPOWER technology from ARADEX for the DC conversion. We congratulate our partner Proton on the successful implementation of this innovative concept. The energy supply works primarily via the photovoltaic modules mounted on the façade and on the roof. In the basement of the house, the electricity thus obtained is converted into hydrogen with the aid of an electrolyser and stored in tanks. The system acts as a long-term storage facility to use fuel cells to cover the house’s energy needs on days when photovoltaic modules do not generate enough electricity. The optimal integration of the fuel cells, which are subject to volatile voltages, into the power supply system was ensured with DC / DC converters from ARADEX (type VP5000-DCDC200-HL). We are pleased to announce that the system functions according to plan and that the DC / DC converter, which was originally developed for mobility applications, has also proven itself in stationary application in this project. The use of the DC / DC converter not only compensates for the voltage level: the DC / DC converter also protects the battery, which is additionally installed as a short-term storage, ensures greater safety against system failures caused by current and voltage peaks and last but not least fast and precise load changes ensure high efficiency. In addition to the photovoltaic system, the house also has a heat pump that stores thermal energy in the battery used as a temporary storage. ARADEX AG is proud to be part of a major step towards energy-conscious housing in the future through this project. For more information on the topic of optimal fuel cell connection, we are at your disposal.
