There were a few threads on Micro CHP a few months ago but I haven't
heard anything since. What's the current status on these - are they
still in trials mode or are they becoming generally available?

I'll probably replace my inefficent old cast iron boiler in a year or
two so I'm trying to research the various options ahead of time.

Cheers

Neil

There were a few threads on Micro CHP a few months ago but I haven't
heard anything since. What's the current status on these - are they
still in trials mode or are they becoming generally available?
I'll probably replace my inefficent old cast iron boiler in a year or
two so I'm trying to research the various options ahead of time.

I notice no-one replied to this thread - shame, because I was interested
:-}

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Colin Wilson wrote in message et...
There were a few threads on Micro CHP a few months ago but I haven't
heard anything since. What's the current status on these - are they
still in trials mode or are they becoming generally available?
I'll probably replace my inefficent old cast iron boiler in a year or
two so I'm trying to research the various options ahead of time.

I notice no-one replied to this thread - shame, because I was interested
:-}

After I posted this I contacted the two companies I knew to be working
on this ie Powergen and BG.

Powergen didn't get back to me, but I gather their product is called
Whispergen and is based on a product from New Zealand. It's a floor
standing unit and according to the NZ firm it has a maximum useful
heat output of 9kW. This is not enough for my house and so their
product is ruled out, unless they increase this.

BG got back to me on Monday. It seems their product, Microgen, will
not now be generally available until late 2005 ("... in time for the
winter heating season.") which is at least a year later than I had
read on their website.

The Microgen is a wall-mounted boiler produced in conjunction with a
Japanese engineering firm. The Stirling engine is presumably similar
to the Whispergen (they both produce 1.1kW electricity) but the
addition of a second burner gives more flexibility. They are aiming to
produce a range of products - 15kW, 24kW & 36kW system boilers, and
24kW & 36kW combis - each of which can modulate down to 5kW.

To begin with it will be natural gas only and requires a live
electricity connection, but they say that they may produce versions
for other fuels and that in future it may be possible to add a
grid-independent option to allow continued operation during a power
cut.

I'm slightly disappointed by the delay but BG seem to have got the
design of the Microgen about right - I'm certainly interested and will
follow their developments before making a decision about my replacment
boiler. Of course, if my existing boiler packs up before the Microgen
comes onto the market, their delay might well cost them at least 1
sale. (I offered to take part in their trial but presumably they've
found enough trial sites now.)

If anyone knows of any other mooted CHP products for the UK, please
let me know and I'll contact the manufacturer and post back here.

I hope this is of some interest to some.

Happy New Year!

Neil

I hope this is of some interest to some.

Yeah, shame about the delays as you say...

Sadly i`m sure BG will price theirs at a "premium" roughly double the
cost of a higher spec system elsewhere :-(

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"Colin Wilson" wrote in message
t...
There were a few threads on Micro CHP a few months ago but I haven't
heard anything since. What's the current status on these - are they
still in trials mode or are they becoming generally available?
I'll probably replace my inefficent old cast iron boiler in a year or
two so I'm trying to research the various options ahead of time.

I notice no-one replied to this thread - shame, because I was interested
:-}

I missed this post and would have replied, giving what roughly has been
found.


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"Colin Wilson" wrote in message
t...
I hope this is of some interest to some.

Yeah, shame about the delays as you say...

Sadly i`m sure BG will price theirs at a "premium" roughly double the
cost of a higher spec system elsewhere :-(

They say it will be competitive with all the top range condensing boilers.
The company is BG Technology, which is not BG, although under the same
umbrella, Centrica. They do research. The Japanese company, Renai, is one
of the largest a/c companies in the world.


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Sadly i`m sure BG will price theirs at a "premium" roughly double the
cost of a higher spec system elsewhere :-(
They say it will be competitive with all the top range condensing boilers=
..

Given that they just did a *basic* system with a cheap condensing boiler=20
in my mother-in-laws for =A34600 (IIRC) that doesn`t inspire confidence

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"Colin Wilson" wrote in message
t...

Sadly i`m sure BG will price theirs at a "premium" roughly double the
cost of a higher spec system elsewhere :-(
They say it will be competitive with all the top range condensing boilers.

Given that they just did a *basic* system
with a cheap condensing boiler
in my mother-in-laws for £4600 (IIRC) that doesn`t
inspire confidence

They are not the same company. Also, Microgen, a separate company again,
has been set up.



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The company is BG Technology, which is not BG, although under the same
umbrella, Centrica.

I don't think so. British Gas plc divided into BG and Centrica (which
owns the "British Gas" brand in the UK). BG further divided into BG
Group and Transco (which subsequently merged with National Grid).

So BG is only related to "British Gas" (ie Centrica) through common
ancestry.