Fuel Cell Boilers

Vitovalor 300-P from Viessmann – generate power and heat simultaneously using a fuel cell heating appliance.

The investment in a new heating system that simultaneously generates both heat and power is worthwhile. Our video explains more about the benefits of the fuel cell heating appliance from Viessmann.

Three reasons to choose a fuel cell heating appliance

Generate heat and power today with the latest technology: put your money on futureproof heating using hydrogen and natural gas.
Make yourself more independent of rising electricity prices by using the fuel cell to generate power.
Heat more economically and save up to 30 percent energy costs through efficient heating with the fuel cell. This allows you to make long term savings whilst also protecting the climate through lower CO2 emissions!

Viessmann Vitovalor 300-P fuel cell

Vitovalor 300-P, the fuel cell from Viessmann, is the ideal energy centre for a modern detached or two-family house. The system combines heat and power generation on a very small footprint. Vitovalor 300-P offers considerably higher electrical efficiency than that available through current combined heat and power (CHP) solutions. This reduces the amount of heat extracted and makes the fuel cell heating appliance particularly suitable for use in new builds and renovations.

Vitovalor 300-P is the innovative alternative for decentralised power generation. Against the backdrop of discussions on energy and rising electricity prices, this solution is steadily gaining in relevance. In the future, CHP technology will be an important part of central power generation.

Fuel cell for detached and two-family houses

With 20 kW, Vitovalor 300-P offers sufficient thermal output to cover the entire heat demand of a detached or semi-detached homes – on a footprint of just 0.65 square metres. The maximum amount of electrical energy generated over the course of a day (16.5 kWh) is enough to cover the basic needs of an average household. The integral gas condensing boiler switches on automatically when the heat generated by the fuel cell module is insufficient, such as at peak times or when a lot of hot water is required for a brief period.

Proven and reliable: technology from Viessmann and Panasonic

As with all innovations from Viessmann, reliability and durability are the top priorities when it comes to the new fuel cell heating appliance as well. This is why a proven fuel cell module from Panasonic is used in the micro CHP unit. Viessmann has integrated this fuel cell, proven in more than 200,000 applications in Japan, into a perfectly matched heating system with gas condensing boiler, DHW cylinder and control unit.

Anticipates your needs: self-learning energy manager

The fuel cell heating appliances are heat led and power-optimised. The integrated energy manager is adaptive and responds to your individual requirements. This means that it only starts the natural gas/hydrogen driven heating appliance when it is worthwhile – when sufficiently long runtimes are expected and therefore corresponding power generation and on-site utilisation.

Additional power storage systems

The Vitocharge power storage system from Viessmann raises the on-site consumption rate in a household significantly. If the fuel cell heating appliance generates more power than is currently required, the surplus is generally exported to the grid. However, by combining Vitovalor 300-P with the Vitocharge power storage system, this power can be stored and used at a later time. This translates into a reduction of additional, expensive power drawn from the grid. For more information, go to Energy systems for Vitovalor 300-P.

Benefits of the Viessmann fuel cell heating appliance

Up to 30% lower energy bills compared with gas condensing technology
Increasing independence of electricity prices by generating power on site
PACE funding – making the costs of purchase comparable to those of a gas condensing boiler or solar thermal system
Compact design with a small footprint
Efficient and environmentally responsible technology of the future
High operating convenience via tablet or smartphone
Energy efficiency class: A++
Energy efficiency class, DHW heating: A

Fuel Cell

Vitovalor 300-P, the fuel cell from Viessmann, is the ideal energy centre for a modern detached or two-family house. The system combines heat and power generation on a very small footprint.

Hydrogen Energy use

The fuel cell uses hydrogen as its energy source. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in nature and is present in all organic compounds. Natural gas contains hydrogen as well as carbon. However, hydrogen does not exist in its pure form in nature. Natural gas is therefore used for the fuel cell. As the fossil fuel with the lowest emissions, it is highly suitable for obtaining pure hydrogen.

Proven and reliable

As with all innovations from Viessmann, reliability and durability are the top priorities when it comes to the new fuel cell heating appliance as well.

How Vitovalor 300-P works

Oxygen and hydrogen obtained from natural gas: these are the two components required to generate power and heat using the fuel cell heating appliance. The chemical reaction between these two elements is referred to as "cold combustion" and takes place between two electrodes. Hydrogen is conveyed to the anode. Here, it is split into negative electrons and positive hydrogen ions in the presence of a catalyst. The electrons travel to the cathode via an electrical conductor, which creates an electrical current. At the same time the positively charged ions reached the cathode through the electrolyte (an ion exchange membrane). They react with oxygen, releasing heat. The process is very clean and therefore good for the environment. For more information, go to How Vitovalor 300-P works.

Natural gas: perfect for fuel cells

The fuel cell uses hydrogen as its energy source. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in nature and is present in all organic compounds. Natural gas contains hydrogen as well as carbon. However, hydrogen does not exist in its pure form in nature. Natural gas is therefore used for the fuel cell. As the fossil fuel with the lowest emissions, it is highly suitable for obtaining pure hydrogen. Depending on requirements, Vitovalor 300-P can be operated with natural gas H or E. In the Vitovalor 300-P, the hydrogen is separated from the gas that has been added. First, the sulphur compounds are separated out. Next, an upstream reformer converts the gas into carbon dioxide and hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst. Carbon monoxide is converted to carbon dioxide in a subsequent gas cleaning process.

Vitovalor 300-P fuel cell construction

Vitovalor 300-P fuel cell heating appliance consists of two units: a fuel cell module and a peak load module comprising an integral gas condensing boiler. This unit also contains a heating water buffer cylinder and DHW cylinder, as well as hydraulics, sensor technology and a control unit. The units are compact, visually matched and together require a footprint of less than 0.7 square metres.