micro combined heat and power

Micro-chp is an old technology now being given new life in the UK. Units are essentially domestic boilers that use some of the waste heat to generate electricity. They look and behave like boilers, and sound like fridges. You can get floor-standing versions now, and wall-mounted variants are close to market.

The micro-chp units available in the UK are fuelled by gas. They contain a condensing boiler to heat your home and hot water, and a Stirling engine to generate electricity. Stirling engines were invented in 1816, and generate motion from heat without combustion.

Heat is the main output of the units, which only generate electricity when your central heating is on, and they only generate around 1.1kW electricity; enough to maintain backup power in the event of a power cut, or boil a kettle. The idea is to reduce your electricity bills, not replace your electricity supply.

Micro-chp is seen as a cleaner source of energy because this is a much more efficient and lower carbon way to generate electricity than central generation, and the units are 90% efficient.

Our design tools, site assessments and evaluations from plans will tell you the potential impact on your gas and electricity consumption, carbon savings and financial benefits. The units are becoming progressively more commercially available in the UK.