Residential consumers in North America contributed 37% of total final consumption of electricity in the region in 2021. That’s according to an International Energy Association (IEA) report we link to below. Now if we could replace grid electricity with energy self-sufficient housing, we might achieve our energy-saving goals in a single stroke. Scientists in Spain proposed a model illustrating how to go about this.
Their Model for Energy Self-Sufficient Housing
The team from University of Cantabria in Spain used solar panels, batteries, and hydrogen storage to build their model:
- The panels met domestic needs while there was sufficient radiation.
- But batteries kicked in when this supply was insufficient, and overnight.
- A fuel cell charged the batteries from stored hydrogen as a back-up.
- Surplus energy fed into the utility grid to recover installation costs.
The researchers based their model on actual energy consumption data from social housing in the Novales region in Spain. This is a small community of some 200 residents dating from 1097, and with a notable architectural heritage.
Significant Savings from Energy-Efficient Housing
Small towns could be suitable locations to eventually operate entirely off-grid, given the high-cost-per-consumer to import their energy from elsewhere. The Cantabria team implemented their energy self-sufficient housing system at a home in Novales, and reported as follows using on-line monitoring equipment:
- Electrical independence from the grid under diverse weather conditions.
- Eliminated 2,260 kilograms of CO2 emissions from electricity consumption.
- Monitored almost 15,200 kWh of primary energy savings during two years.
- Saved around US$1,250, by avoiding electricity bills from the supply grid.
The equipment installed at the pilot home included the following, according to PV Magazine:
- Twenty by 40-watt solar panels on the roof of the main dwelling.
- Four by 2.4-kilowatt-hour batteries elsewhere in the building.
- One by 10-gallon tank of purified household tap water for electrolysis.
- One by 150-gallon hydrogen storage tank at 300 bar pressure in a shed.
This work is a step forward to decarbonising small isolated communities, especially where grid supply may be uneconomic to maintain.
More Information
More Community Batteries Coming On Line
Hydrogen Solar Storage Versus Lithium-Ion
Preview Image: General View of Novales
