All-year energy storage for 6 residences, Picea

Bad Kissingen, Germany

This all-in-one green hydrogen system from HPS Home Power Solutions AG is the largest project of its kind in Germany: It can store 13,500 kWh of electrical energy for six residential units all year round. Berlin-based HPS is the provider of the world’s first green H₂-based year-round electricity storage system for buildings, the “picea”. As an all-in-one product, it combines all components including AEM electrolyser technology, a fuel cell, batteries and a ventilation unit to create a self-sufficient and CO₂-free residential energy system. Heat generated by operating the system provides heat or hot water to its residents. The system even manages the air quality, making it a perfect residential all-in-one solution.

For even higher storage capacities in bigger properties, a large number of picea systems can be connected together in a cascaded “multi-picea”. This HPS solution for medium-sized companies and buildings can be individually adjusted for projects of different dimensions. The largest multi-picea project to date is in Bad Kissingen, Bavaria. Its nine cascaded picea systems supply a multi-family building with a total of 2,800m² and six residential units with solar power from its own roof all year-round. A 180 kWp photovoltaic system generates solar power. During daytime it’s stored and made available in the evening through batteries. To compensate for the lack of sun in winter, it also uses green H₂. The multi-picea can store 13,500 kilowatt hours of electrical energy in 45 H₂ bundles and thus supply the building with self-produced and CO₂-free solar power all year round.

The system also uses the process heat generated and makes it available to the building. In addition to a high level of supply security, this results in an overall energy utilisation rate of up to 90%. In addition, the multi-picea supplies the building’s five heat pumps with solar power from its own roof in summer and winter.