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As of 2021, new regulations in Germany require all new homes to be designed as very low-energy buildings. Founded by Zeyad Abul-Ella and Henrik Colell in 2014, the Berlin-based company Home Power Solutions (HPS) provides off-grid power supply solutions to help new homeowners meet this requirement and transition to clean renewable energy.
Dedicated to the independent and sustainable supply of decentralized energy, HPS develops systems that store and convert solar energy in single- and two-family homes to support the renewable energy revolution and reduce greenhouse gases.
The company’s Picea system is the first off-grid solar-hydrogen-based power supply system worldwide to provide homes with their own specifically designed, localized and emission-free light, heat, and clean air all year round.
Based on a combination of solar energy and an innovative hydrogen power storage system, the Picea offers over 100 times more storage capacity than standard household batteries and converts every kilowatt-hour of energy produced.
The Picea achieves energy surpluses on sunny days that are stored as hydrogen and then used to provide electricity and heat again on less sunny days.
By providing CO2-free energy all year round, one Picea system saves approximately 3 tons of CO2 emissions annually.
More about the HPS team
The team at HPS has more than seven years’ experience in research and development and can draw on knowledge from 25 years of technical development.
Co-founder and Managing Director Zeyad Abul-Ella is a civil engineer with many years’ experience in project management and product development at leading enterprises across the renewable energy sector. Mr. Abul-Ella is also a lecturer in renewable energy at the Technical University Berlin.
Globally recognized as a pioneer in fuel cell technology, Co-founder and Managing Director Dr. Henrik Colell has more than 20 years’ experience in the energy technology sector and is an expert in linking technology, market, and finance to create robust business strategies. Mr. Colell is also a spokesperson for Clean Power Net, a company involved in fuel cell power supply solutions.
Generating Energy 100% Off-Grid
The Picea hydrogen power storage system provides more energy storage capacity than any other commercially available product.
Generating energy 100% independently of the grid and fossil fuels, Picea offers an emission-free alternative that provides 100 times more storage capacity than currently available home storage batteries and twice the power of other systems.
As the first energy system of its kind worldwide, installation does not require the usual large spaces or building conversions. Standardized connections and interfaces also make installation simple and flexible, even in small rooms.
Energy Requirements are Handled Independently and Transparently
By enabling the generation, storage, and control of energy within the home, this compact, one-stop energy solution allows homeowners to efficiently balance their energy consumption and needs.
Heat that accumulates as a by-product of electricity production can be used to warm water and rooms, further reducing heating costs. The storage of electricity also releases pure oxygen, improving the air quality of the local environment.
HPS systems ensure complete transparency of energy requirements, which can be monitored at all times using standardized interfaces and a simple, automated operation system.
Financial independence is also maximized by a predictive energy management system that allows HPS to calculate the most economic solution based on geographic location, solar energy production and individual energy needs.
Compact, Small Footprint System Provides Energy All Year Round
Picea provides energy storage, heating support, and indoor ventilation in one compact, small footprint product. Components such as the batteries, electronics, electrolyzer, fuel cell and HPS energy manager are all tightly integrated into one closed system to provide maximum performance within a limited space.
On sunny days, solar energy is stored in a battery and can be used immediately or converted into hydrogen by the electrolyzer and stored.
The energy in this hydrogen power storage system is then converted by the fuel cell back into electrical energy and heat that can be used during the night and in the wintertime. Any waste heat is stored in a hot water tank ready for use when needed.
Award-Winning Technology
In February 2021, the Picea system won HPS the 2021 Handelsblatt Energy Award for the “Smart City” category.
“Our product will be indispensable in the smart cities of the future,” said Mr. Abul-Ella “The Handelsblatt award is a recognition of the considerable reduction of CO2 emissions picea offers and the value of German innovation in the field of climate protection technology.”
Handelsblatt Energy Award jury member, Dr. Olaf Heil, said that without sustainable energy generation and storage capability, in addition to smart grids, climate protection goals are not achievable.
“With the market-ready systems for private residences offered by the award winner, many private households can now do their part to protect our planet," he added.
References and Further Reading
Home Power Solutions. Your Family – Your Home – Your Energy. Available at:
https://www.homepowersolutions.de/en
Home Power Solutions. Home Power Solutions Receives 2021 Handelsblatt Energy Award for its Hydrogen Power Storage System. Available at: https://fuelcellsworks.com/news/hps-home-power-solutions-receives-2021-handelsblatt-energy-award-for-its-hydrogen-power-storage-system/
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