Biomass ethanol is carbon free fuel. Consequently, biomass ethanol attracts attention as renewable energy with few amounts of greenhouse gas discharge. Therefore, in this paper, steam reforming of the biomass ethanol is carried out using the heat source of sunlight. The produced hydrogen is supplied to a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, and is generated. The meteorological data of Sapporo, Tokyo, Osaka, and Kagoshima was introduced into this system, and the amount of hydrogen generation, the amount of greenhouse gas discharge, and power of purchase and sale were investigated by numerical analysis When the proposal system that introduced two sunlight collectors of 1m diameter are installed in Osaka and Kagoshima, the total power demand of an individual house can be supplied. Especially the production of electricity in the system installed in Kagoshima confirmed a possibility that electricity sales to utilities would also be made.
View full abstract