Comparative life-cycle assessment of residential heating systems, focused on solid oxide fuel cells

Abstract

This study aims to analyze a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) for residential heating applications by applying Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). To do so, three perspectives have been chosen: the producer, the user as an individual and the user intended as the heating demand of a building, applied by default in Switzerland. This SOFC is compared to other systems which fulfill the same function and are already inventoried in international databases (Ecoinvent). That are: a Stirling engine, three types of heat pump, a polyelectrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and a gas boiler. The results of these analyses in SimaPro software have shown that from the perspective of the producer, impacts reduction should come from reducing the metallic parts included in the inverter unit and parts made of copper, there is a 7.5% reduction potential if recyclable parts are properly managed. From the user perspective, the choice among different heating systems depends strongly on the electricity mix of the country. From the buildings perspective, the SOFC is best suited to a family house type like the SIA-380/1 (Schweizerischer Ingenieur- und Architektenverein) building Swiss standard, which consumes less energy than the current average Swiss family houses. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013.