Plug Power Inc. (Latham, NY) reported that the European Virtual Power Plant project, partly funded by the European Union’s fifth framework program, has begun with an official ceremony at fuel cell developer and distributor Vaillant in Remscheid, Germany. The project will connect 31 decentralized residential fuel cell systems, which have been installed in houses and small commercial premises in Germany, Holland, Spain and Portugal, to a joint power plant to allow balancing the individual power needs.
Vaillant has jointly developed the proton-exchange membrane fuel cell units (4.6 kW electricity, up to 11 kW heat). The total budget of the virtual power plant program is about 8.6 million Euros, of which 30 -percent are being paid by the European Union. Vaillant and Plug Power aim to run the project till March 2005.
