Home Energy and Heat Generators Coming to America
by EcoGeek.org on 11.17.06
Combined Heat and Power (CHP) generators in America have so far been used only for large-scale projects. They can heat and power entire neighborhoods or office complexes. And, in doing it, they are about three times more efficient that centralized fossil fuel power plants. CHPs aren't emissions free (they run internal combustion engines with natural gas) but because they are decentralized and capture the heat produced by the power generation, they produce a lot more energy per ton of CO2 released.
But the big news in CHPs is that they're becoming ultra-decentralized. That is, you can put one under your sink and heat and power your house with it. In Japan, over 30,000 household's already have micro-CHPs, and Europe boasts more than 80,000. Where's yours you ask? It's coming, just hold on a little bit. A few dozen units have been installed across America, but their spread is being held back by cheap energy prices and lack of the incentives that have driven the market in Japan and Europe. But two businesses are poised to begin marketing CHPs to environmentally conscious Americans.
But be ready to pay, even the cheapest model, producing enough heat for a three bedroom house and 1 kilowatt of electricity, will set you back $13,000. Even then, it's only likely to save you $800 a year, meaning that it will probably never completely pay for itself (unless you subtract the cost of a new high-efficiency furnace, then it will pay for itself in five to seven years.) But, if natural gas companies are smart, they will start offering incentives to buyers, since they will be guaranteeing themselves customers for the next twenty years at least.
::Christian Science Monitor. See also: ::Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Awards 2006
Plug and Ballard fuel cell companies have stationary FC versions that are domestic CHP units. Fair number sold in Japan already. Also, there are two micro-turbine makes poised to do same.
ClimateEnergy, based in Massachusetts, is selling Micro-CHP units right now. As a soon-to-be homeowner in Massachusetts, I'll probably be buying one in the next year or two.
Wouldn't it be great if these things somehow (incentives? marketing? regulation?) displaced regular NG heating systems. Would be a much better way to use all that NG..
So when peak natural gas comes into play, what do you heat and power your house with?
yaaay type key is working again.. so two words.. heat pump
thoughts?
$13,000 then you have to pay for natural gas on top of it?
I can't see that being attractive for apartment units where scale puts other shared solutions at better pricing.
I can't see that being overly attractive for homes either. Instead a Home GeoThermal for heating, cooling, and hot water may be a better investment. At least there's a payback and you're less tied to gas price hikes. It does use electricity, which one could supplement with solar or wind if they were so inclined.
Everyone has room for Geothermal at best it takes up a 5' hole that's 300 feet deep, everyone has a 5' back yard that owns a home.
I've read about larger CHP units that can run on methane from biodigesters. I wonder if the small ones are able to adjust to varying fuel types?
Is this the same system that was posted a while back, which is sold in europe and creates hot water, hot water heat and electricity from a stirling engine?
These weren't anywhere near $18,000.
What about some links, or some better information sources...
There must be better information available somewhere. The Christian Science Monitor isn't exactly the leading edge.
C'mon, treehugger, get off your butts and provide informative posts, from good sources, and with links!!!
A couple of comments. First, most houses (where I am at least) use natural gas for heat anyway. Trust me, we're feeling the pinch as prices rise, but this is certainly a more efficient use of natural gas than a centralized power plant.
And sorry for the confusion relating to the Power Gen system that we blogged about a while back. Both are Micro-CHPs, but these run on internal combustion as opposed to a sterling engine, so they're more expensive, and use more gas, but produce two or three times more power.
I hadn't read that story when I wrote this one, thanks for pointing it out.
CHP is not limited to just internal combustion engines.
Their are several companies that are marketing micro-turbines that are CHP units.
Fuel cells would also be an excellent CHP source.
Please don't limit this discussion to merely internal combustion engine.
Get over the thought of Micro Turbines in your home but embrace Distributed Generation on a neighborhood scale. I have seen a district heating system in action. There is a real benefit to running a CHP plant centrally as the maintenance schedule is sure to be consistent.
December 2006 I almost froze to death if it was not for my cat who woke me up by sticking her claws into my arm. It took several hours for my arm and hand to defrost. Is there anything provided for seniors (I am 83 years old) to supply them with heat such as a heat generator so this does not happen again? They are very expensive.
December 2006 I almost froze to death if it was not for my cat who woke me up by sticking her claws into my arm. It took several hours for my arm and hand to defrost. Is there anything provided for seniors (I am 83 years old) to supply them with heat such as a heat generator so this does not happen again? They are very expensive.
December 2006 I almost froze to death if it was not for my cat who woke me up by sticking her claws into my arm. It took several hours for my arm and hand to defrost. Is there anything provided for seniors (I am 83 years old) to supply them with heat such as a heat generator so this does not happen again? They are very expensive.