TIDMCFU
RNS Number : 0353G
Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited
25 June 2012
Monday 25 June 2012
Crest Nicholson installs BlueGen to create the UK's first low
carbon home using fuel cell power and heating
Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited (AIM / ASX: CFU), a leading provider
of high efficiency and low emission electricity generation products
for homes and other buildings, is pleased to announce that Crest
Nicholson, one of the UK's leading house builders, has installed a
BlueGen gas-to-electricity generator in one of its low carbon
homes.
The BlueGen unit is installed in a four bedroom family home in
Crest Nicholson's Noble Park development on the outskirts of Epsom,
Surrey. This is the UK's first ever installation of a
microgeneration certificate scheme (MCS) accredited micro power and
heat fuel cell in a new build home, providing power, heating and
hot water.
The Crest Nicholson low carbon home demonstrates how new houses
can meet the energy efficiency levels of the Code for Sustainable
Homes Level 4, cutting carbon emissions by 44 percent from 2006
Part L Building Regulations levels. In 2016 this requirement for
all homes sent to planning increases to "zero carbon", meaning the
building fabric of the home and onsite power and heat generation
must cut emissions by at least 70 percent from 2006 levels,
equivalent to zero net carbon emissions from regulated energy,
which is that used for heating, hot water, lighting and building
(services) consumption, over the course of a year.
In addition to the energy reduction requirements, the Crest
Nicholson home with the BlueGen unit meets all the elements of the
2010 Code for Sustainable Homes level 4, which include design for
low water consumption, enhanced ecological protection, Lifetime
Homes and Secure by Design criteria.
As part of the AIMC4 Consortium research project, Crest
Nicholson has designed the home for high insulation and energy
efficiency and low heat losses. The BlueGen is providing all the
heat needed for the home - there is no separate boiler or other
heating device needed.
The BlueGen product is the only fuel cell product eligible for
the UK Feed-In Tariff (FIT), which provides a payment to BlueGen
customers for power generated on-site and exported back to the
power grid.
BlueGen units use ceramic fuel cells to turn natural gas into
electricity - as well as heat for hot water - for homes, schools,
offices and small commercial buildings. Each BlueGen unit can save
up to four tonnes of carbon per year in low carbon homes. The peak
electrical efficiency of BlueGen is up to 60 percent, far higher
than any other small scale generating technology in the world. With
the added benefit of heat, total efficiency is up to 85 percent and
may be even higher in such low energy homes.
The Noble Park homes are being delivered by the "AIMC4"
consortium, supported by funding from the government-backed
Technology Strategy Board. The AIMC4 consortium is a partnership of
UK companies created to pioneer the volume production of low carbon
homes, and includes developers Stewart Milne Group, Crest Nicholson
PLC, Barratt Developments PLC, H+H UK Ltd and the Building Research
Establishment.
Crest Nicholson is one of the UK's leading developers of new
homes, building approximately 1,500 new homes each year.
Brendan Dow, Managing Director, Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited,
said:
"BlueGen is an advanced technology that is available today. With
its high levels of energy efficiency BlueGen provides a clear
pathway towards the UK Government's 2016 residential sector targets
for all new build houses to be "zero carbon". Demonstrating that
BlueGen can provide all the heating for a new home opens up a large
market for us, and means BlueGen is not restricted to the market
for replacement boilers.
"Crest Nicholson is an exciting partner for Ceramic Fuel Cells
and we look forward to sharing a close working relationship as we
explore the potential for installing additional BlueGen units at
other Crest Nicholson new home developments."
Stephen Stone, Chief Executive, Crest Nicholson, said:
"This is a real first for the UK in terms of introducing fuel
cell technology into new homes, and the fact that the technology is
now at a point where people can effectively use it in their living
environment is something that will bring real consumer
benefits.
"The technology works best in energy efficient homes that
require very low levels of heating, and this is exactly the case
with the AIMC4 homes at Epsom. Not only that, but as part of this
pioneering project we will also be carrying out an intensive
programme of post-occupancy evaluation, which will provide solid
data to help us understand how our customers react to the benefits
of fuel cell technology.
"It is a real priority for us to continue to drive innovation in
the delivery of sustainable communities, and we hope that the
technology we have installed at Epsom will, through collaboration,
lead to volume supply that will ultimately bring down costs and
provide an exciting approach to delivering the Government's 2016
zero carbon timeline ambitions."
ENDS
More information:
-- A video of the BlueGen unit installed in the Crest Nicholson
home, with an interview by Brendan Dow, is available at
http://www.cfcl.com.au/webcasts/
-- A Case Study on this installation is available at http://www.bluegen.info/crest-nicholson-total-integration/
For more information please contact:
Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited
Paddy Thompson (UK) Tel. +44 (0) 7968 356 439
Andrew Neilson (Australia) Tel. : +61 (0) 419 950 771
Email : investor@cfcl.com.au
Crest Nicholson
Helen Saunders Tel. : +44 (0)1932 580555
Email : helen.saunders@crestnicholson.com
Nomura Code Securities (AIM Nomad)
Chris Golden Tel. : +44 (0) 207 776 1200
Australian media enquiries
Richard Allen Tel. : +61 (0) 3 9915 6341
Oxygen Financial Public Email : richard@oxygenpr.com.au
Relations
UK media enquiries
Mark Way Tel. : +44 (0) 7786 116 991
MW Research PR Email : mark.w@harvardamerica.com
German media enquiries
Alex Seiler Tel. : +49 (0) 69 9218 7454
Hering Schuppener Consulting Email : aseiler@heringschuppener.com
About Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited:
Ceramic Fuel Cells is a world leader in developing fuel cell
technology to generate highly efficient and low-emission
electricity from widely available natural gas. Ceramic Fuel Cells
has sold its BlueGen gas-to-electricity generator to major
utilities and other foundation customers in Germany, the United
Kingdom, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Italy, Japan, Australia, and
the USA. Ceramic Fuel Cells is also developing fully integrated
power and heating products with leading energy companies E.ON UK in
the United Kingdom, GdF Suez in France and EWE in Germany.
The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange AIM market
and the Australian Securities Exchange (code CFU).
www.cfcl.com.au
About Crest Nicholson
Crest Nicholson is firmly established as a leading developer
with a passion for not only building homes, but also for creating
vibrant sustainable communities. The Company's track record over
nearly 50 years shows a demonstrable commitment to delivering
innovative, design led, residential developments and large scale,
mixed use, urban regeneration solutions. Its on-going emphasis on
environmentally responsible housing and commitment to deliver truly
low carbon sustainable schemes is evident by an ever increasing
development portfolio. Crest Nicholson was proudly awarded the
Queens Award for Enterprise in the Sustainable development category
in 2007. The 5 year accolade is proof of a continued commitment to
producing high quality developments that champion the very best
principles in sustainability and design.
The Group is proud to hold more CABE Building for Life Gold
Standards than any other developer. It remains a consistent top
performer in the Next Generation industry benchmark and has
retained 5 star builder status for customer service from the House
Builders Federation for the last three years. Visit
www.crestnicholson.com
About AIMC4
AIMC4 is a GBP6.4m project, with GBP3.2m investment from the
consortium partners, matched with GBP3.2m from the
government-backed Technology Strategy Board. The consortium
comprises five members: developers, Stewart Milne Group, Crest
Nicholson Plc and Barratt Developments Plc; plus H+H UK Ltd; and
the BRE
-- A widely applicable Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4
(Energy) range of design solutions to deliver carbon efficient
homes by optimising the fabric of the building.
-- A new industry innovation process map to facilitate the
accelerated development of materials, components and systems
including the manner in which they are incorporated into the build
process;
-- A significantly improved, and in some areas newly created, UK
supply chain capable of delivering a selection of innovative
products to support the AIMC4 fabric first' approach to Code Level
4 (Energy);
-- A variety of build systems, capable of volume delivery within
the UK market (timber, masonry and SIPS - structured insulated
panel systems;
-- Sixteen innovative homes, with 'as built' and 'as lived in'
monitored performance, to begin the process of creating a database
to inform mainstream volume production;
-- Reduced construction costs to achieve viable, easy to use and
market Code Level 4 homes (Energy) based on a fabric first
solution, on a volume scale, through advances in design, process
change and new product technology.
www.aimc4.com
About the Technology Strategy Board
The Technology Strategy Board is the UK's innovation agency. Its
goal is to accelerate economic growth by stimulating and supporting
business-led innovation. Sponsored by the Department for Business,
Innovation and Skills (BIS), the Technology Strategy Board brings
together business, research and the public sector, supporting and
accelerating the development of innovative products and services to
meet market needs, tackle major societal challenges and help build
the future economy. For more information please visit
www.innovateuk.org
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
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