5. MicroCHP

14 January, 2009

Not a boiler, but a Microgen microchp unit with an electrical output of 500 W from a generator driven by a Stirling engine.

Combined heat and power on a community scale has been with us for many years, but arguably things will really get interesting with microCHP systems that can be used as combi boiler replacements. These systems differ from their large scale cousins by generating heat, with electricity a useful by-product — rather than electricity , with heat as a useful by-product. While microCHP is a newcomer it could become more attractive to consumers as fuel prices rise. What’s more, its dimensions and appearance makes it a ‘like-for-like’ replacement to the boiler in the eyes of consumers.