Feasibility study into micro combined heat and power

Abstract

GASTEC has carried out an initial study into the feasibility of micro combined heat and power (MCHP) for the energy supply of individual homes in the Netherlands. In the overall project. A new generation of central heating boilers yet to be developed will be equipped with a power generating component driven by the heat produced by the boiler. This initial study, which was commissioned by the umbrella organisation of the Dutch energy distribution companies, EnergieNed, is the first stage of the overall project that should result in a working prototype of an MCHP unit. The unit will be evaluated in a field test. The overall project aims at the reduction of total primary energy consumption. The reduction of the cost involved in residential energy usage and the development of a new generation of central heating boilers. This initial study was based on a number of important assumptions: the MCHP unit should be marketable by the year 2000, the payback period of additional investments should not exceed 5 years, maintenance should not involve any or only little extra cost and the MCHP unit should be able to operate solely by connecting it to the electricity mains as well as independent of the public grid, i.e. as an emergency power unit. The objective of the first stage of the project was to gain insight into the potentially interesting technical options (Stirling engine, AMTEC, fuel cell, thermionic energy conversion, Delta Omega machine, and thermophotovoltaic energy conversion) for the power generating component to be fitted, the electrical output the way of operation.