Methanol for fuel cell as long-term storage in the house

What is this supposed to cost for, say, 10 KW photovoltaic and 5 KW nominal thermal output?

What does this thing cost to purchase? What about operating costs? Are own consumption costs taken into account?

Prices can occasionally be found, but they are in the range of 200,000 to 300,000 CHF for the first series-ready system.

That a new technology or the new application of technology is initially expensive can be taken as given. Prices usually decrease in series production, according to experience. This was the case, for example, with heat pumps or photovoltaic systems. In combination with subsidies at the beginning and shifts in energy costs, the economic efficiency of a purchase then changes. I do not think that the first systems will have an attractive payback period, but rather provide satisfaction to buyers in other ways. I would have no problem paying a hefty surcharge if I could thereby disconnect the grid connection to the supplier. But it’s not that far yet.

I find the principle simple, comprehensible, and logical.

Otherwise, it is probably not unlike Picea.

I also see the parallels. I simply like the handy storage medium. Fill the tank and done – like back in the days with oil. Similar space requirement as for oil or pellets and externally refillable as needed.

That sounds a bit like dry-cell, where oxyhydrogen gas is produced from water using electricity, which can be used for heating.

A crucial difference is that these HHO generators do not produce a (meaningfully) storable energy carrier but instead directly burn the generated oxyhydrogen gas. I have not looked into it further. I lack both courage and knowledge to store oxyhydrogen gas as an energy carrier in the house.

The statement, aiming for production costs under 1 euro per liter, makes me suspicious. If that were economical, they wouldn't need to collect money. An energy provider would have long since bought the patent.

An energy supplier would have long since bought the patent.

1€ per liter of methanol (approx. 0.8kg) yields about 3.3kWh with a fuel cell at 75-80% efficiency, so around 33ct/kWh. This can be affordable for consumers in 5 years, but for energy suppliers it will still be very expensive then. They run a business model with central production, regional network monopolies, and protective lobbying. They are currently not interested in this.

I would prefer an underground diesel tank with a few thousand liters and a power generator. :D

That the distribution of cheaper methanol fuel cells for the end consumer is not yet being pursued is a mystery to me. Instead, I have the feeling that there is a reckless reliance on greenwashing batteries for private cars and residential homes…

Yes, the range of fuel cells is very limited and the prices are moderate considering the performance. Since fuel cells are generally not very well suited to deliver peak loads, combining them with battery technology is very sensible – which of course does not make the whole thing cheaper. Ultimately, most applications are not about fuel cell or battery. In households, a fuel cell could really do a good job as a base load supplier. In the motorhome, I looked at the Efoys – but I am still not convinced by the price, space requirements, and weight (we want to keep our mid-sized panel van under 3.5 tons). Those who deal with battery technology recognize strong progress in environmental compatibility in battery construction – meanwhile, there are models to which no "Greenwashing" can be attributed anymore. The relevance of the technology assessment somewhat lags behind the state of the art. Battery technology is extremely diverse and offers huge potential for improvement in energy density and material selection.