The Orchard Convention

Jeremy Harrison runs micro CHP information website (www.microchap.info) which gives quite a bit of information on engines and other prime mover technologies for micro and mini CHP.

You will also find links to preview his book on micro CHP or click here: http://www.blurb.com/books/1478310

Kind regards

Jeremy Harrison

Technology Consultant

Energy Infrastructure & End Use

Many thanks to  Jeremy Harrison <jeremy.harrison@microchap.info of EON for providing this informationl and agreeing we ca publish it:   Please note Jeremy’s excellent web site which deals with this sort of thing:  

www.microchap.info

…and  don’t forget to purchase his excellent book Micro CHP; the big picture:

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1389996/

    Wispergen Stirling

Wispergen have produced and will have installed 2000 Stirling engined mchp units in Europe this year.  Unit is freely available in Germany, Belgium and Netherlands, and on a restricted bases in UK while business model is evolved fully.

Efficiency – 11% HCV

Heat to power 7:1

Overall efficiency 88% – as good as a condensing boiler.

INSTALLED price 10,000 eur IN GERMANY

INSTALLED PRICE IN UK EXPECTED TO BE AROUND £7000 COMPARED WITH BOILER AT £3000

Can be fully installed for 10,000 eur – 5000 euro cost of boiler saving.

Output 1 kWe.

Based on original NEW ZEALAND engine.BUT NOW MANUFACTURED IN NORTHERN SPAIN

Microgen Stirling

Based on Sunpower free piston Stirling, now marketed by Baxi – Remeha, who have rebranded as BDR Thermea. Also involved are Vailant and Viessman who engineer the device for specifi national markets.  Engine made in China, unit packaged in Europe in UK and Netherlands.

Efficiency – 13.5 % HCV

Heat to power 5:1

Overall efficiency.

Sale price 8, 000 eur

Can be fully installed for ABOUT €1000 MORE THAN WHISPERGEN. Price expected to drop with volume production to 4,000 from 8,000 in 5 years due to volumes.

Output 1 kWe.

Based on original Sunpower free piston engine.

Honda Miller cycle engine (the Miller cycle is essential an ordinary internal combustion engine, but with  the intake valve being  left open longer than it would be in an Otto cycle engine and for various reasons this enables in fact a higher compression ration and greater efficiency)

Some 100,000 of these engines have been installed in Japan, WITH VARIOUS BUSINESS MODELS SUCH AS via a paperless transaction ie the consumer gets the unit installed free and simply has a different and beneficial gas tariff.

Efficiency – 23 % HCV

Heat to power 4:1

Overall efficiency.AROUND 80% LCV

Sale price 11, 000 eur  in USA but much higher here due to inappropriate emissions requirements

Output 1 kWe.

Based on Honda Miller cycle engine

Emissions:

Inappropriate emissions regs are stalling progress FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES in Europe.  If nox is seen as a global emissions issue, then the mchhp should be seen as a power plant and the same emission applied – it has much lower emission than large plant.  However Europe (ECO-LABELLING DIRECTIVE) is applying the same emissions standards for boilers to mchp. 

If seen as a local emissions issue, then vehicle emissions which are at ground level. Are much , much higher coming from cars than the mchp emissions which discharge at high level.  Furthermore in-house emission from egg gas cooking are higher by orders of magnitude than from the boiler which is discharged externally.

INCIDENTALLY THER A NUMBER OF QUITE PROMISING FUEL CELL MICRO CHP TECHNOLOGIES WHICH SHOULD START TO BE INTRODUCED TO THE MARKET IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS INCLUDING:

CFCL (SOFC) 1.5 kWe 60% electrical efficiency;  made in Germany

Panasonic PEM ~35% electrical; made in Japan