Mike, that’s a great question that requires careful thought and reasoning. I have to confess my lack of detailed technical knowledge regarding all of the various types of fuel-cells available and the chemistry by which they work.

Initially you may think the fuel-cells would contribute to LEED EA credit 2, On-Site Renewable Energy, but I think a more in-depth analysis will show that they may not quite meet the intent and requirements. This will depend on your specific project and systems. But don’t get discouraged, your project may still benefit from fuel-cells or other renewable energy sources.

First, a very brief and very over simplified definition of what a fuel-cell is. In its simplest form a fuel-cell operates similar to a battery, by creating electricity through a chemical reaction. Unlike a battery though, fuel-cells also have a rechargeable fuel source, so are an open system. There is also no combustion involved or external energy source required for the fuel-cell to operate, just fuel.

When it comes to LEED’s classification of renewable energy sources for EA credit 2, it’s important to remember that this credit is based on generation of power sources that reduce the impact of fossil fuels. Typically these include solar, wind, wave, Geothermal (with a big “G” and not to be confused with geo-exchange systems) and are “self-sustaining” without any external power and are more or less infinite in their quantity. One of the reasons that ground-sourced heat pump geothermal (little “g”) systems are not applicable to this credit is that they require external pumps and fuel sources to operate.

Even though fuel-cells don’t use the combustion of fossil fuels to generate power there are two other considerations. First, they can emit pollutants including greenhouse gases which have a negative environmental impact. Second, is the method used to extract those fuels, which is one of the other considerations LEED places on using renewable energy sources. Fossil fuel extraction generally involves mining, drilling or some other invasive method which has obvious negative effects on the environment.

I’m not sure from your question, what fuel source you’re contemplating, but two of the most common types are hydrogen and natural gas. Hydrogen may be the more familiar source to most of us, due to efforts by the automotive industry, but both require refueling at some point in time. Hydrogen fuel systems are commercially available and typically sized for smaller installations such as residential, so may not be effective for your project, except in large quantities.

Because natural gas is a finite fossil fuel source and the methods required for extraction, it would not meet the intent of the credit to reduce the environmental impacts of power generated from fossil-fuel sources.

But…

If your project were to contemplate a hydrogen fuel-cell system, than the complexity would probably need to greatly increase to meet the intent of renewable fuel. To provide a renewable fuel source, the project would need to include a method of generating the fuel and operating the fuel-cell strictly from renewable sources. In my opinion, this would meet the intent and requirements of the credit.

This would require the production of the hydrogen fuel on-site and there are systems capable of accomplishing this. It could include a system of solar panels that power the hydrogen fuel production system thereby creating a renewable cycle of fuel and energy production. Powering the hydrogen fuel production system could also be accomplished using alternative fuels such as biomass or another renewable fuel source, but my guess is these systems would be prohibitive in terms of not only cost, but complexity and space. Depending on the size of this system, it should also include some method (such as batteries) to store the generated electricity during low demand periods for use during peak periods. If storage is used, it’s important to remember that the LEED calculations can only include the power used on site.

As is the case with ground-sourced heat pump geo-exchange systems, the efficiency of fuel-cells can still help to improve the building’s overall energy efficiency. Because these systems produce electricity and also produce heat which can be used for various purposes, they can offset the generation of power by other non-renewable fuel sources. The efficiency of these co-generation systems varies due to heat loss and other inefficiencies so it’s important to investigate the use of the fuel-cell generated electricity and heat.

Depending on the specific system and project needs it would be useful to compare the direct use of the electricity for building needs or to power other equipment such as heat pumps. It’s also important, as with every system selection to compare the overall cost of the system including installation, fuel and operation compared to other methods and sources.

Here are some other points to consider:

* In a short search that I performed on the internet of manufacturer’s claimed contributions to LEED credits, I couldn’t find any manufacturer that identifies EA credit 2 as a credit their fuel-cell system contributes to. Most of these manufacturers are producing systems that utilize natural gas or another fossil fuel.
* Depending on the power needs of your project, the fuel-cell system may require a large amount of space, possibly in the 40-foot by 40-foot range.
* Several states, mostly California and those in the Northeast offer additional incentives or grants in addition to available federal tax incentives.
* The only LEED related discussion on fuel-cells that I can find is in the Environmental Performance Criteria “Guide for New Data Centers”. Similar to the EPC for Labs developed by LBNL, this was an application guide developed to apply LEED to a specific building type. Similar to the EPC for Labs it adds and modifies existing LEED credits while trying to maintain the intent of the system. However, it is in no way developed by or endorsed by USGBC. One of the many data center specific discussions is the addition of a new credit, EA Credit 4 “On-Site Generation”. This credit specifically includes discussion of on-site power generation using fuel-cells due to the higher than typical power demand of data centers. But once again, I think this has more to do with the fuel source used in the fuel-cell.

Also consider other measures to reduce the demand for power or improve the efficiency of what is already being provided. Consider the following synergistically among all sustainability measures:

* Other renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic or solar hot water (EA credit 2)
* Purchasing power from renewable sources (Renewable Energy Certificates)
* Increasing the efficiency of HVAC and Hot Water Systems
* Increasing the efficiency of lighting systems
* Increasing the building envelope insulating efficiency
* Other ventilation systems such as natural or distributed
* Passive solar systems and thermal storage systems

In conclusion, I believe a properly selected and designed fuel-cell system can meet the intent and requirements of LEED Energy & Atmosphere credit 2. As with anything else, carefully think about the costs and interactions of all building systems.

Related Advice:

• Diesel Generator vs. Fuel Cell: Who Wins the Energy Efficiency Battle?



• Home Fuel Cell: What Tax Credits are Available in California?



• Residential Fuel Cell: Is the Technology Cost-Effective for a Home?