"Faz" wrote in message
...
Has anyone heard of Micro Combined Heat and Power units. I am made to
believe that these are boilers that also generate their own electricity
and
are highly efficient. I know of 2 suppliers atthe moment only which are
Powergen's Whispergen and BG's Microgen.

The Whispergen is available in NZ. A stand alone CHP Stirling engine unit.
The Whispergen produces 1kW and heat as a byproduct. Sigma of Norway
produce a 3kW unit, not available yet.

The Microgen is a wall mounted unit producing 1kW and there will be a combi
version too. And is not available yet, but manufacturing is being done in
Japan by Rennai.

Gledhill have developed a thermal store, the mCPH, a derivative of the
Boilermate, specifically for mating with a CHP unit with a control board to
control and mate the two. http://www.gledhill.net The idea is for power
companies to pay for, or heavily subsidise the installation of these units
in homes. They then can be remotely all switrched on to collectively give
quite a few magawatts back into the grid at peak times. What the home owner
does not use is fed back into the grid. They will be environmentally sounds
as line losses are minimal, and most energy used at source.

Millions of homes are to be built and heavy building at Ashford in Kent and
Milton Keynes in Bucks. If all these homes had these then less power
stations would need to be built, less power infrastructure which is always
overground by pylons (gas is in pipes under). They are about the same
efficiency as a condensing boiler, so not attractive to an individual, so
subsidy is the only way to kick-start them. With the right control system,
Gledhill have developed one, they can be optimised to produce electricity
which is 3 to 4 times more expensive than gas. Claims of 25% more
efficiency in electricity and gas combined is claimed, beside the
environmental spins offs. So they may be worthwhile to the individual. The
Microgen will work in a power cut, so fine for remote areas (runs on LPG
too). The government is very interested in them and it looks like they will
take off.

These units are to be referred to as "Boilers". They are also aimed at
the boiler replacement market.