Miura and Ceres Power Launch 4.2kW Solid Oxide Fuel Cell in Japan
Ceres Power, the developer of SteelCell®, a pioneer in low-cost Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) technology, and Miura Co., an industrial boiler manufacturer, announced a first fuel cell product launch using Ceres technology.
This new fuel cell system is a 4.2kW combined heat and power unit (CHP) targeting the commercial building sector in Japan. According to Ceres, the units will deliver both clean energy and hot water to commercial buildings, in a highly efficient and low carbon manner. The fuel cell releases more energy than it inputs in heat by making tiny metal particles store hydrogen and stimulating them under certain conditions. According to several reports, the amount of released heat per gram of hydrogen is several digits larger than normal combustion.
The product launch is the culmination of a joint development between Ceres and Miura that was first announced in December 2016.
Field trials in Japan have begun with the first commercial launch expected with a select number of customers starting in October 2019. Volumes are expected to grow thereafter.
Ceres notes that Japan is one of the most advanced markets in the world for fuel cells and a pivotal market for Ceres. Given its relevance to the energy supply chain, the Japanese government published "The Basic Hydrogen Strategy" in 2017 and "The Strategic Road Map for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells" in 2019 to present a vision of a "Hydrogen Society" and the role of hydrogen in a cleaner energy future.
In addition to fuel cells for vehicle and households, the deployment of stationary fuel cells in the industrial and commercial building sectors is another area of focus for the Japanese government's plan.
The product launch is part of Ceres' focus on multi-year development partnerships with global OEMs, to jointly develop products using its technology.
In addition to its work in Japan with Miura, Ceres also has significant partnerships with Bosch and Weichai and expects to be able to announce further commercial progress in due course.
"This product launch with Miura, a first for Ceres, is another important commercial milestone and continues our track record of successfully working with leading Japanese companies. Japan is an exciting market for the SteelCell®, where awareness of the advantages of full cell technology is high. The Japanese government has a clear hydrogen strategy and fully recognises the important role of fuel cells in the vision for realising a low carbon future," Phil Caldwell, CEO of Ceres Power said.
