Micro-CHP provides alternative to solar energy in housing regeneration project

Baxi Ecogen, micro CHP
With the orientation of these housing in Nelson, Lancashire, precluding the use of solar energy, Baxi Ecogen micro-CHP units were installed to reduce energy costs and carbon emissions.

A regeneration partnership in Lancashire has opted for has opted for Baxi Ecogen micro-CHP to provide low-carbon heating and hot water for the redevelopment of 14 homes on Staley Street in Nelson. PEARL2 (Pendle Enterprise & Regeneration Ltd) is a partnership between Pendle Council and Barnfield Construction. This project includes 12 of the homes being joined to make six spacious double-fronted homes.

The orientation of the properties prevented the use of solar-thermal water heating and solar-PV panels, so micro-CHP was selected to reducing energy costs and carbon emissions.

Extensive field trials have shown that an Ecogen unit can reliably satisfy up to two-thirds of a typical household’s electricity requirements. About half of this energy can be used in the home and half exported to the grid at 10 p/kWh using the Feed-in Tariff.

The combination of reduced electricity demand and income from the Feed-in Tariff could save about £600 a year.

Ecogen units are based around a free-piston Stirling engine which provides heating and hot water and up to 1 kW of electricity. Intelligent controls ensuring maximum electricity generation and user comfort, while minimising fuel costs.

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