E.ON has announced it is investing in a fuel cell company from Munich, Germany.

Elcore’s technology has been installed and successfully used in hundreds of  buildings over a two-year period, showcasing the technology is fully developed and economically viable.

E.ON is now signing contracts to provide these households with carbon neutral natural biogas, which it claims allows the fuel cell to generate power as clean as a solar energy system whilst also simultaneously producing heat.

The energy giant will also cover the customer’s remaining power needs with its own renewably sourced electricity.

Elcore says the system is roughly twice as energy efficient as a standard power plant, which will save money and avoid damage to the environment.

Philipp Ulbrich, Head of Scouting and Co-Investments at E.ON, said: “The fuel cell is the most efficient technology for use in generating heat and power when upgrading heating systems.

“It’s another way that we are encouraging a sea change in energy. It means we can now offer customers a way to generate their own electricity without the need to rely on the sun to produce it.”

A government inquiry into the role of hydrogen gas and fuel cells in the UK energy system has been secured.