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Osaka Gas started joint development of the residential SOFC CHP system with Kyocera in FY2004, and Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. and Toyota Motor Corporation also took part in out development. Development for commercialization was completed at the end of the 2011 fiscal year, and product commercialization was started. Most significant issue for commercialization was durability.　 Osaka Gas has conducted durability verification of a large number and long time test for stacks, material, and SOFC generation units in order to establish 10 years life time. As these results, we judged that durability SOFC power generation unit which uses latest stack, hot module design, and control reached durability target.

A micromachined gas sensor based on a catalytic thick film/SnO 2 thin film bilayer and a thin film heater was investigated for CH 4 sensing. The sensor demonstrated good sensitivity and high selectivity with low power consumption. The thin film heater and the SnO 2 thin film sensing layer were deposited on a Si micromachined structure having a silicon oxide-silicon nitride membrane. On the SnO 2 sensing layer, a Pd-Al 2 O 3 catalytic thick film was formed to oxidize interfering gases selectively. The sensor realized low power consumption and fast thermal response due to the low thermal conductance and the small heat capacity of the membrane. The power consumption at an operating temperature of approximately 450 • C was 30 mW. The sensitivity (R air /R gas ) to 2000 ppm CH 4 in air was greater than 5, while the sensitivity to H 2 , an interfering gas, was relatively low.

At 2004, Osaka Gas Co., Ltd. and Kyocera Corporation launched joint development of residential SOFC CHP system. In order to fit Japanese urban market, we decided rated output of system as 700W and have reduced the size of a power generation. At rated power, ac 700W, net ac efficiency and hot water heat recovery efficiency is 45% (LHV) and 40% (LHV), respectively. From FY2007, we took part in the "Demonstrative Research on Solid Oxide Fuel Cells" hosted by the New Energy Foundation in 2007. Osaka Gas installed SOFC systems into 45 sites in FY2007 and FY2008. We demonstrated high energy saving effect for various houses and improved durability and reliability of system. Hereafter, new joint development, Osaka Gas, Toyota Motors, Kyocera and Aisin Seiki, aims early commercialization of residential SOFC CHP system.

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