Micro CHP in the spotlight

Quite a bit has happened in the micro CHP world since my last blog. Back in June, Micropower Europe was launched during the EU Green Week in Brussels. They put on an exhibition of of Microgeneration technologies to mark the event attended by Andris Piebalgs, EU Energy Commissioner. He seemed rather impressed with the products on offer, not surprisingly as there were PEM fuel cell units from Baxi (European Fuel Cells), Internal Combustion Engines (again Baxi with the 5kW Senertec unit, plus Vaillant Ecopower), Stirling engines from EHE (aka Whispertech who are now finally producing units out of their factory in Tolosa, Spain with the first units now being sold in Germany, Netherlands and, shortly, UK) and...Baxi again!.

At last it seems there is more than one micro CHP technology on offer. It has certainly taken its time, but finally we are seeing a range of products suited to various applications. A pity the subsidies poured into other technologies have so far failed to materialise for micro CHP, but then I have always argued that micro CHP is economically viable on its own merits. Still, it would be nice to get some financial recognition as well as kind words!

Commissioner Piebalgs did, however, seem slightly bemused that the energy company E.ON were present (indeed they are founder members of Micropower Europe); he was under the impression that the established energy suppliers would resist Microgeneration as it appears to erode their core business. That is exactly what they did think to start with, but the more perceptive of them have subsequently realised that, not only do they have no choice, but that Microgeneration, and micro CHP in particular, offers additional business opportunities at every level of the value chain from supporting intermittent renewable generation, reducing network impacts and a plethora of options at the retail supply end.