Japan plans to supply the UK and Germany with low-carbon fuel cell technology to heat and power homes, according to the BBC. With over 5,000 fuel cells providing heat and energy for homes now in Japan, the BBC says that companies such as Panasonic are in talks with EU governments about bringing the devices to Europe. Take-up of the expensive technology in Japan has been driven by a half-price government subsidy for the combustion-free energy generators. Panasonic told the BBC that interest from the German, Korean and UK governments is ‘intense, and that it is confident that Japan will lead the way in bringing the technology into common use for homes. Fuel cells – a technology that has been around for more than 100 years – convert fuels such as hydrogen and natural gas into electricity through an electrochemical reaction. The resultant heat generated also warms buildings in gas-boiler-sized boxes known as cogeneration fuel cells. In theory they could generate all the heating and hot water and the majority of the electricity needed by a typical European home without the need to be connected to the national grid. Such efficient use of gas supplies […]