Combined micro-cogeneration and electric vehicle system for household application: An energy and economic analysis in a Northern European climate

In recent years, Denmark boosted investments in renewable energy and electrification of transportation. The Danish Agenda proposed that all primary energy consumption will be covered by renewable sources such as wind, biomass and solar by 2050. These changes require significant investment and re-thinking of entire energy infrastructures and types of consumption.

The Agenda also suggested, among other things, improving the efficiency of energy systems. In this paper, the interactions between charging an electric car and an innovative cogeneration system for household application (micro-solid oxide fuel cell with an integrated heating system) are investigated.

The charge of the electric car by the cogenerator produces waste heat that can be used to partially cover the heat demand of the house. In this way it may be possible to increase overall efficiency and decrease total energy costs. Different innovative strategies are proposed and analyzed to manage charging an electric car and efficiently using the waste heat available.

The aims of this study are to make the system grid-independent, to decrease the thermal stress of SOFCs and to determine the nominal power of an integrated heating system. The results show energy efficiency and economic profitability of the system, even if subsidies are not included.