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Panasonic News Bureau
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Panasonic Develops New Fuel Cell Cogeneration System
for Home Use

Osaka, Japan - Panasonic, the leading brand by which Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. is known, today announced it has developed a home-use polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) cogeneration system. The cogeneration system features the world's highest power-generating efficiency of up to 39% Lower Heating Value(LHV), durability of 40,000 operation hours and 4,000 start-stop times, and a predicted lifetime of over 10 years.

Panasonic has strived to achieve its vision of "living in harmony with the environment." With this goal as a motivator, the company has now developed a home-use fuel cell cogeneration system that is planned for early commercialization as a next-generation energy supply system. Based on the results of large-scale field testing conducted between fiscal 2006 and fiscal 2008**, a new system has been developed with upgraded energy-saving features and enhanced reliability. Further field testing is scheduled in fiscal 2009 ending March 31, 2009.

When installed in an ordinary household, the new system can reduce primary energy consumption by 22% (about 1.4 times more than the conventional system) and can cut CO2 emissions by 12% based on the basic unit for all power sources. With year-round operation, it can save 3,262 kWh of primary energy and reduce CO2 emissions by 330 kg. The new system can reduce CO2 emissions by 37% based on the basic unit for thermal power source. With year-round operation, it can cut CO2 emissions by1,175 kg.

The three-year field tests also found that the system was often operated in a power output range between 500 W and 1 kW in ordinary households. Within this practical use range, the new system has achieved drastically improved power-generating efficiency compared to conventional systems. The Panasonic system has achieved the world's highest power-generating efficiencies 39% (LHV) at 750 W; 38% or higher in the 500 W-1 kW range and 34% at 300 W. The system has also satisfied durability requirements for home-use equipment.

In the conventional system, the fuel processing device is not as efficient and inverter efficiency drops toward its lower output ranges. As a result, the power-generating efficiency of the conventional system is the highest at its higher ratings, and falls with decreasing output.

Panasonic has made the system feasible by using cell stack technology that employs highly-durable Membrane Electrode Assemblies (MEA), fuel processing technology that allows stable operation in a wide range at high efficiency and low-loss boost inverter technology.

Panasonic will install production equipment for the new system in its plant in Kusatsu City, Shiga Prefecture, and will start manufacturing from June this year. In fiscal 2010, further investments will be made to start a full-scale commercialization of this system as a new environmental business that creates a new energy source.

[Outline of the new PEFC cogeneration system]

[Patents]

About Panasonic
Best known for its Panasonic brand name, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. is a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of electronic products for a wide range of consumer, business, and industrial needs. Based in Osaka, Japan, the company recorded consolidated net sales of US$77.19 billion for the year ended March 31, 2007. The company's shares are listed on the Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and New York (NYSE:MC) stock exchanges. For more information on the company and the Panasonic brand, visit the company's website at http://panasonic.net/.

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[Explanation of related technology]

1. Cell stack technology that employs highly-durable MEA
   • The degradation mechanism was found to be traced to the followings:
     
     (1) Destruction of the electrolyte membrane
     (2) Degradation of catalyst performance
     (3) Flooding behavior of the water generated
   • Based on this analysis, the company reviewed materials including electrolyte membrane and catalyst, design including gas flow in the separator and fastening method, and operating conditions. Durability of 40,000 hours was successfully achieved.
   • The duration of 40,000 hours is estimated based on accelerated test methods led by analysis of degradation mechanisms.
2. Fuel processing technology allowing stable operation in a wide range at high efficiency
   • A fuel-processing device needs to be stably controlled to guarantee the reliability of the system. Since hydrogen is generated by catalysis, a vast number of mobilizing factors must be taken into account, including the city gas that is the basic ingredient, flow rates of water vapor and air, reforming temperature, degeneration temperature, and selective oxidization temperature.
   • The system was designed utilizing simulation technology, including for catalysis. Hydrogen was successfully generated even when each of the many factors changed over a wide range. Heat loss was also reduced by integrating the structures for reforming, degeneration, and selective oxidation, resulting in high efficiency.
3. Low-loss boost inverter technology
   • The inverter consists of two elements.
     (1) A step-up converter: Converts low-voltage DC to high-voltage DC.
     (2) Grid-connected inverter: DC output is converted to 200 V AC that is fed into the system.
   • The skills and experience gained from power control technology, such as inverters for electrical home appliances including IH equipment, have been applied to the step-up converter, which allows soft switching over the entire range. This has drastically reduced the heat loss in power transistors, contributing to high efficiency in the practical use range, particularly within the 300 - 750 W output range.

[Definition of terms]

<Panasonic Household Fuel Cell Cogeneration System (April 2008)>