Journal of Korean Institute of Architectural Sustainable Environment and Building Systems ISSN:1976-6483(Print) 2586-0666(Online) 한국건축친환경설비학회논문집

This study analyzes the feasibility of applying fuel cells under 12 operating conditions, considering system capacity and operating schedule, based on actual energy consumption data from a 980-unit residential complex. The results and implications of the study are as follows: (1) While it is feasible to consider both hot water supply and heating as energy supply targets from fuel cells, taking heating into account suggests a high likelihood of partial load operation of fuel cells for extended periods during the summer. Therefore, this study examines an approach that considers only electricity and hot water consumption. (2) By varying the capacity and operating schedule of the fuel cells, it was analyzed that they could handle 34.6% to 86.5% of the electricity consumption and 74.9% to 100% of the hot water consumption. However, due to the unit price of city gas, it was found that the actual costs borne by residents tend to increase. (3) To ensure the efficiency of fuel cells, it was analyzed that installing thermal storage tanks with a capacity of at least 4.4 tons to a maximum of 17.2 tons is necessary depending on the operating method. The capacity of the thermal storage tank was 5% to 10% larger in summer than in winter, but no significant seasonal differences were observed. (4) Due to the imbalance between energy usage and production, surplus electricity and excess heat generated from fuel cells could occur. Based on this, the study suggests an installation capacity of 0.2 kW per household for a standard household of 3-4 people. (5) From an economic perspective, the city gas generation cost is approximately 210 ₩/kW compared to the current grid power generation cost of 88 ₩/kW. Adjusting the gas price and assigning value to greenhouse gas emissions could contribute to the expansion of fuel cell adoption.