A major breakthrough in South Yorkshire is set to offer the housing market throughout the western world the chance to move towards supplying sustainable, non-polluting power.

British organisation ITM Power has developed a unique electrolyser at its Sheffield research centre which can generate hydrogen to fuel home appliances while drastically cutting carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

ITM’s device is a major advance towards the UK Government's goal of achieving a zero carbon new housing market by 2016 and other western administrations fulfilling similar ambitions. Domestic consumers currently account for over 20 per cent of CO2 emissions in the UK and broadly similar proportions elsewhere in the west.

The company’s electrolyser, set to go into production this year, will be able to create its own hydrogen fuel from the totally 'green' supply now becoming increasingly available from wind, wave, solar and hydro-electric power. Alternatively, users will be able to use low cost off-peak electricity or choose a green tariff from their existing supplier.

Whatever type of power they employ, consumers will be able to store the hydrogen the electrolyser creates, then use it like conventional gas in new and converted central heating boilers or as a fuel in cooking. Unlike normal domestic gas and oil, however, burning hydrogen releases merely water vapour and not CO2.

Consumers will also be able to reconvert stored hydrogen to electricity - using domestic fuel cells or generators - which can power lighting or other  appliances. This will remove the danger of inconvenient power cuts for households and serious supply interruptions for hospitals, schools and businesses.

Scientists at ITM, now Europe’s largest combined electrolyser and fuel cell company, made the hydrogen breakthrough when they developed and patented new low cost materials. These outperform and cost significantly less than those used by other firms involved in producing electrolysers.

In addition to its use in the home, hydrogen produced by the ITM electrolyser system can be used to power a family car. The company has unveiled a hydrogen home refuelling station and converted bi-fuel car, running on petrol and the gas, based on the Ford Focus, Europe's best-selling model. ITM now aims to demonstrate the vehicle can be refuelled using hydrogen generated by the home electrolyser and will complete an average daily commuting journey without petrol.

Company chief executive Jim Heathcote said:

“We’re developing products which will revolutionise energy sources for the home and make a significant contribution to cutting CO2 emissions."

Hydrogen has an important role to play in bringing 'green' technology to the housing market and our development work, which will reach the production stage this year, has ensured it will arrive much sooner than many people dreamed possible. With stored hydrogen's ability to provide not only fuel for heating and cooking but power, through a conventional generator or fuel cell, the prospect of energy self-sufficiency without dependence on fossil fuels has moved dramatically closer."

ITM is now Europe’s largest combined electrolyser and fuel cell company. In July 2004, it became the first organization of this type to join London’s Alternative Investment Market and has since figured among the largest 100 companies with shares quoted there. 

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