Integrated full processor, furnace, and fuel cell system for providing heat and electrical power to a building

A system for providing heat and electrical power to a building, said system comprising:

• a fuel cell assembly for providing electrical power;
• a reformer/furnace unit comprising a chamber and a heat exchanger for providing heat;
• and
• wherein a fuel is selectively reformable in said chamber at a first fuel-to-air ratio in said chamber to produce a supply of reformate for said fuel cell assembly, and at a second fuel-to-air ratio in said chamber to release heat.

A combination fuel cell assembly and hot water tank for providing electrical power and domestic hot water to a building, said combination fuel cell assembly and hot water tank comprising:

• a fuel cell assembly for providing electrical power to the building;
• a hot water tank into which is receivable and in which is heatable a supply of cold water to supply domestic hot water to the building;
• and
• means for exchanging heat from said fuel cell assembly to the supply of cold water in said hot water tank.

A system for providing electricity to a building, said system comprising:

• a fuel cell assembly;
• a reformer for providing reformate to said fuel cell assembly;
• and
• at least one of an electrical power demand sensor, a temperature sensor, a smoke detector, and a gas detector disposed in the building and connected to effect operation of at least one of said reformer and said fuel cell.

A method for providing electrical power and domestic hot water to a building, the method comprising:

• providing a fuel cell assembly for providing electrical power to the building;
• providing a hot water tank into which is receivable a supply of cold water;
• exchanging heat from the fuel cell assembly to the supply of cold water in said hot water tank to produce a heated supply of water;
• and
• supplying the heated supply of water as domestic hot water to the building.