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Carbon footprint: hydrogen backup compared with diesel

A fuel cell's only exhaust is water, so it looks clean. The full picture depends on where the electricity came from and how much is lost along the way.

At the point of use

A diesel generator burns fuel and releases carbon dioxide, particulates and other combustion products every hour it runs. A fuel cell releases water and heat. At the back of the house, that difference is real and easy to see. There are no fumes for your family, no soot on the shed wall and no diesel smell drifting into the bedroom window. That alone matters for many people.

What it would keep running

  • Fume-free backup next to the house
  • Wind-charged storage with low emissions
  • Micro-hydro charged storage
  • Off-peak grid charging, as clean as the grid
  • No diesel deliveries

The electricity behind it

The hydrogen is made from electricity, so its footprint depends on that electricity. Charged from a wind turbine or micro-hydro, the footprint is low. Charged from off-peak grid power, it carries whatever emissions the grid has overnight. With round-trip efficiency of 30% or less, every kilowatt hour delivered needs several kilowatt hours going in, so any emissions in the charging power are multiplied.

On a grid with a high share of fossil generation overnight, stored hydrogen could end up with a footprint that compares poorly with diesel once those losses are counted. We would rather say that plainly than claim a green label that does not hold up. Charging from your own wind or micro-hydro is the surest way to keep it low.

How it works →
The H2OME loop: an electrolyser splits water into hydrogen, the hydrogen is stored in a tank for weeks, a fuel cell turns it into electricity for your home, and the water returns to the loop.

Manufacturing and lifespan

Any honest comparison also counts the energy and materials used to build the equipment, including the battery, electrolyser and fuel cell, and how long they last. We have no lifecycle figures to publish yet, and we will not invent them. The pilot stage will give real data on energy use and running hours. Until then, the clear advantages are no fumes at home and no fuel runs.

Questions

Is hydrogen backup carbon neutral?

Not automatically. It depends on the electricity used to make the hydrogen and on manufacturing. Charged from your own wind or micro-hydro, emissions are low. On grid power, they follow the grid. We will not claim neutrality without measured data.

Can you give me a carbon number compared with diesel?

No, not yet. Any figure would be invented until pilot data exists for real energy use, local grid emissions and equipment lifespans. We would rather give you the honest framework than a made-up number.

Is it better for air quality at home?

Yes, at the point of use. A fuel cell produces no exhaust fumes, carbon monoxide or soot. For households who have run generators near the house, that is often the most noticeable change.

More in outages, weather and how it works

Elsewhere

Every use →

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