Panasonic has launched a solar hydrogen fuel cell project at its factory in Cardiff, Wales, with the microwave assembly now running on renewable energy.
Panasonic has launched a new system at its microwave assembly plant in Cardiff, Wales, powered entirely by renewable energy.
The system integrates hydrogen fuel cell generators, PV generators and batteries. The company plans to add an energy management system (EMS) to monitor electricity demand and weather fluctuations by March 2025.
“We have installed 21 units of 5 kW pure hydrogen fuel cell generators as part of a distributed system optimized for the amount of electricity used in the microwave oven assembly plant,” the Japanese company said in a statement. “In combination with photovoltaic generators of 372 kW and storage batteries of 1MWh, we want the system to work in such a way that it supplies the necessary electricity from 100% renewable energy.”
The hydrogen fuel cell generators will use the heat generated during electricity production to provide heating and hot water, targeting an energy efficiency of 95%, according to the company. The demonstrative production plant has an area of approximately 1,200 m².
Panasonic said its microwave assembly plant consumes about 1 GWh of power per year, with a peak demand of 280 kW. The factory is part of a larger 29,000 m² facility with 760 kW of installed PV power, of which 372 kW is allocated to microwave assembly operations.
“This demonstration uses green hydrogen for internal energy generation and integrates and controls three types of energy sources to run the plant on 100% renewable energy in environmentally advanced European countries,” the company said. “This globally unique initiative is Panasonic’s first effort. With this demonstration, Panasonic aims to achieve a solution that is optimal for the characteristics of the region.”
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