Crest Nicholson installs BlueGen (0353G)

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RNS Number : 0353G

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited

25 June 2012

Monday 25 June 2012

Crest Nicholson installs BlueGen to create the UK's first low carbon home using fuel cell power and heating

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited (AIM / ASX: CFU), a leading provider of high efficiency and low emission electricity generation products for homes and other buildings, is pleased to announce that Crest Nicholson, one of the UK's leading house builders, has installed a BlueGen gas-to-electricity generator in one of its low carbon homes.

The BlueGen unit is installed in a four bedroom family home in Crest Nicholson's Noble Park development on the outskirts of Epsom, Surrey. This is the UK's first ever installation of a microgeneration certificate scheme (MCS) accredited micro power and heat fuel cell in a new build home, providing power, heating and hot water.

The Crest Nicholson low carbon home demonstrates how new houses can meet the energy efficiency levels of the Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4, cutting carbon emissions by 44 percent from 2006 Part L Building Regulations levels. In 2016 this requirement for all homes sent to planning increases to "zero carbon", meaning the building fabric of the home and onsite power and heat generation must cut emissions by at least 70 percent from 2006 levels, equivalent to zero net carbon emissions from regulated energy, which is that used for heating, hot water, lighting and building (services) consumption, over the course of a year.

In addition to the energy reduction requirements, the Crest Nicholson home with the BlueGen unit meets all the elements of the 2010 Code for Sustainable Homes level 4, which include design for low water consumption, enhanced ecological protection, Lifetime Homes and Secure by Design criteria.

As part of the AIMC4 Consortium research project, Crest Nicholson has designed the home for high insulation and energy efficiency and low heat losses. The BlueGen is providing all the heat needed for the home - there is no separate boiler or other heating device needed.

The BlueGen product is the only fuel cell product eligible for the UK Feed-In Tariff (FIT), which provides a payment to BlueGen customers for power generated on-site and exported back to the power grid.

BlueGen units use ceramic fuel cells to turn natural gas into electricity - as well as heat for hot water - for homes, schools, offices and small commercial buildings. Each BlueGen unit can save up to four tonnes of carbon per year in low carbon homes. The peak electrical efficiency of BlueGen is up to 60 percent, far higher than any other small scale generating technology in the world. With the added benefit of heat, total efficiency is up to 85 percent and may be even higher in such low energy homes.

The Noble Park homes are being delivered by the "AIMC4" consortium, supported by funding from the government-backed Technology Strategy Board. The AIMC4 consortium is a partnership of UK companies created to pioneer the volume production of low carbon homes, and includes developers Stewart Milne Group, Crest Nicholson PLC, Barratt Developments PLC, H+H UK Ltd and the Building Research Establishment.

Crest Nicholson is one of the UK's leading developers of new homes, building approximately 1,500 new homes each year.

Brendan Dow, Managing Director, Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited, said:

"BlueGen is an advanced technology that is available today. With its high levels of energy efficiency BlueGen provides a clear pathway towards the UK Government's 2016 residential sector targets for all new build houses to be "zero carbon". Demonstrating that BlueGen can provide all the heating for a new home opens up a large market for us, and means BlueGen is not restricted to the market for replacement boilers.

"Crest Nicholson is an exciting partner for Ceramic Fuel Cells and we look forward to sharing a close working relationship as we explore the potential for installing additional BlueGen units at other Crest Nicholson new home developments."

Stephen Stone, Chief Executive, Crest Nicholson, said:

"This is a real first for the UK in terms of introducing fuel cell technology into new homes, and the fact that the technology is now at a point where people can effectively use it in their living environment is something that will bring real consumer benefits.

"The technology works best in energy efficient homes that require very low levels of heating, and this is exactly the case with the AIMC4 homes at Epsom. Not only that, but as part of this pioneering project we will also be carrying out an intensive programme of post-occupancy evaluation, which will provide solid data to help us understand how our customers react to the benefits of fuel cell technology.

"It is a real priority for us to continue to drive innovation in the delivery of sustainable communities, and we hope that the technology we have installed at Epsom will, through collaboration, lead to volume supply that will ultimately bring down costs and provide an exciting approach to delivering the Government's 2016 zero carbon timeline ambitions."

ENDS

More information:

-- A video of the BlueGen unit installed in the Crest Nicholson home, with an interview by Brendan Dow, is available at http://www.cfcl.com.au/webcasts/

   --      A Case Study on this installation is available at http://www.bluegen.info/crest-nicholson-total-integration/ 
 
For more information please contact: 
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 Crest Nicholson 
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            Chris Golden                    Tel.     : [phone] 
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About Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited:

Ceramic Fuel Cells is a world leader in developing fuel cell technology to generate highly efficient and low-emission electricity from widely available natural gas. Ceramic Fuel Cells has sold its BlueGen gas-to-electricity generator to major utilities and other foundation customers in Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Italy, Japan, Australia, and the USA. Ceramic Fuel Cells is also developing fully integrated power and heating products with leading energy companies E.ON UK in the United Kingdom, GdF Suez in France and EWE in Germany.

The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange AIM market and the Australian Securities Exchange (code CFU).

www.cfcl.com.au

About Crest Nicholson

Crest Nicholson is firmly established as a leading developer with a passion for not only building homes, but also for creating vibrant sustainable communities. The Company's track record over nearly 50 years shows a demonstrable commitment to delivering innovative, design led, residential developments and large scale, mixed use, urban regeneration solutions. Its on-going emphasis on environmentally responsible housing and commitment to deliver truly low carbon sustainable schemes is evident by an ever increasing development portfolio. Crest Nicholson was proudly awarded the Queens Award for Enterprise in the Sustainable development category in 2007. The 5 year accolade is proof of a continued commitment to producing high quality developments that champion the very best principles in sustainability and design.

The Group is proud to hold more CABE Building for Life Gold Standards than any other developer. It remains a consistent top performer in the Next Generation industry benchmark and has retained 5 star builder status for customer service from the House Builders Federation for the last three years. Visit www.crestnicholson.com

About AIMC4

AIMC4 is a GBP6.4m project, with GBP3.2m investment from the consortium partners, matched with GBP3.2m from the government-backed Technology Strategy Board. The consortium comprises five members: developers, Stewart Milne Group, Crest Nicholson Plc and Barratt Developments Plc; plus H+H UK Ltd; and the BRE

-- A widely applicable Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4 (Energy) range of design solutions to deliver carbon efficient homes by optimising the fabric of the building.

-- A new industry innovation process map to facilitate the accelerated development of materials, components and systems including the manner in which they are incorporated into the build process;

-- A significantly improved, and in some areas newly created, UK supply chain capable of delivering a selection of innovative products to support the AIMC4 fabric first' approach to Code Level 4 (Energy);

-- A variety of build systems, capable of volume delivery within the UK market (timber, masonry and SIPS - structured insulated panel systems;

-- Sixteen innovative homes, with 'as built' and 'as lived in' monitored performance, to begin the process of creating a database to inform mainstream volume production;

-- Reduced construction costs to achieve viable, easy to use and market Code Level 4 homes (Energy) based on a fabric first solution, on a volume scale, through advances in design, process change and new product technology.

www.aimc4.com

About the Technology Strategy Board

The Technology Strategy Board is the UK's innovation agency. Its goal is to accelerate economic growth by stimulating and supporting business-led innovation. Sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), the Technology Strategy Board brings together business, research and the public sector, supporting and accelerating the development of innovative products and services to meet market needs, tackle major societal challenges and help build the future economy. For more information please visit www.innovateuk.org

This information is provided by RNS

The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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