Impact on power system by fuel cells supplying residential buildings

This paper describes possibilities and restrictions of supplying residential buildings by fuel cell systems. Advantages of cogeneration of heat and power may exploit by fuel cells. In order to optimize cogeneration of heat and power and to achieve high exploitation of fuel, different operating modes of fuel cells supplying residential buildings are compared. Interconnection of fuel cells with power system is explained. Impact on power system and limitation of power injection are described. Equations and charts for calculation of voltage variation and maximum power injection are explained. Results of simulations show short-circuit performance of fuel cell systems and spurious shutdown due to short-circuit faults on network. Contribution of fuel cell systems to short-circuit current and impacts on protection relays are explained. Recommendations are proposed to enable useful operation of fuel cell systems supplying residential buildings