Microgeneration
Microgeneration incorporates a range of technologies (many of which are renewable) which can provide a building with a proportion of its electricity and/or heating. Excess electricity can be sold to the National Grid.
There is currently little installed capacity in the UK. The potential, however, is considerable, with the latest DTI microgeneration review considering that micro-CHP alone could displace around a third of the total UK electricity consumption by 2030.
Following increasing gas and electricity prices, interest in micro-generation is growing despite their initially high capital cost. Microgeneration technologies are located at load-point, hence are far more efficient as a distributed generation source than traditional large-scale, central generation technology.
Micro-generation technologies can be deployed virtually anywhere and are easily displaceable or removable. As ‘white-goods', microgeneration technologies are potentially mass-market products and selling strategies are emerging to reflect this with high street stores beginning to stock some units.
Micro-generation offers high employment creation particularly through commissioning and maintenance activities. Substantial numbers of personnel with plumbing, heating and electrical skills will be required if the sector is to fully develop.
The major technologies in the microgeneration sector include:
- Solar thermal - the most commonly installed type in the UK, solar thermal systems are usually installed on domestic properties to provide water heating. They are one of the most efficient and cost effective microgeneration technologies.
- Solar Photovoltaic (PV) - Solar PV systems convert solar energy into electricity through the use of roof-mounted solar panels. PV is not as cost efficient as solar thermal systems.
- Small-scale wind - Units are typically in the 1-2kW range and will usually provide a saving of 1/3 on electricity bills. Payback period for the system is approximately 5-7 years for a 1kW system. Excess electricity can be resold to the National Grid.
- Ground source heat pumps (GSHP) - GSHP transfer heat from the ground into a building to provide space heating and can be used for pre-heating domestic hot water. A typical 8kW system costs £6,400-£9,600.
- Micro-CHP - Micro Combined Heat and Power is a ‘super boiler' which partly recycles the energy consumed for heating to generate electricity. The concept delivers huge benefits by reducing the amount of energy wasted. Combined thermal and electrical efficiency of a micro-CHP unit is over 90%. Micro-CHP is a high efficiency solution; it is not a renewable source of energy unless primary fuel is strictly made from renewable sources such as biomass.
*Taken from the EEEGR Business Plan 2007-2010
