Alan Seviour of ACE Energy outlines the benefits of MicroCHP, a low carbon techology which has great potential but has has so far experienced slow uptake in the UK

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Fuel Cells in micro-CHP Low Carbon
Energy Generation
Alan Seviour
Head of Renewable
Energy Division
Ace Energy Bath
March 2014

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• Introduction to electricity led micro CHP
• The challenges facing UK electricity market & decentralised
electricity generation
• Case study on installation & paybacks
Presentation:

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Types of fuel cell

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Solid Oxide Fuel Cell – Power Generation

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Fuel cell technology for stationary micro-CHP power
generation
§ Products that deliver clean, controllable electricity on-site
§ Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology converts natural (grid) gas
into electricity and heat, without combustion or noise
SOFC technologies generate power on-site with the world’s
highest electrical efficiency
§ More power from less fuel = Primary energy savings + CO2 savings
§ Generation of power close to where it is used
§ Electricity led Micro-CHP plus the aim recover as much heat as
possible as a by-product

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From centralised generation

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To controllable, high-efficiency
Distributed Generation

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Customers worldwide in the last 21 years
USA
Netherlands
Switzerland Japan
Australia
United Kingdom
Italy
France
Germany

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The energy ‘trilemma’…
Appetite vs. emissions vs. affordability
§ Accommodate continual increase in appetite
for electricity
– Electromobility
– Electrification of heat
– Consumer devices and ‘comfort creep’
§ But, with fewer emissions
– Low carbon, zero carbon
§ While making it affordable
– Large investment in Smart Grids and
Transmission & Distribution infrastructure
UK Electricity Market

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Factors behind the move from centralised to decentralised
electricity production
• Aging grid with instability and connection limitations
• Inefficiencies of the grid in delivering power across the UK
• Unpopular reliance on the big power providers
• Renewables like wind & solar are intermittent and require
demand side management and/or energy storage
• Nuclear is expensive, slow to deliver capacity and controversial
• Energy is an increasing political issue

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Transformation of power
generation portfolio
Growing the share of
renewables
Enhancing building
efficiency
Strengthening of grids
Distributed generation allows
stabilisation of local grids
SOFC have the highest electrical
efficiency of any mCHP technology
Control via Internet
allows building of
virtual power plants
SOFCs can be operated
with biomethane – today!
SOFC technology offers very
significant efficiency gains in
both existing buildings and
new builds
Key features make fuel cells a viable solution for the energy supply of the future
Solid Oxide Fuel Cells address the main challenges of the energy
providers
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The local Power-plant
Power:1.5 kWel / 0.6 kWth
production: 8,000 h/a
Electrical efficiency: 60%
Thermal efficiency up to 30%
Net Heat production approx: 4,800 kWhth/yr
or. ~ 200 Litres Hot-water each day
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Input Natural or Bio-gas
24.000 kWh / year
2500 m3
Net Power production: 13,000 kWhel/year
for direct use or grid feed-in

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Case study: new build “retrofit”
Plant room installations
§ Installation is at the Madeley Centre, near Crewe
§ Installation includes a ground source heat pump and a large pre-heat
tank

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UK feed in tariff – over £2000 from April 2014
Generation Tariff:
£0.129 per kWh for all power generated
13,000 kWh x £0.129/kWh = £1677
Feed in Tariff:
£0.046 per kWh for power exported to grid (50% deemed export )
6500 kWh x £0.046/kWh = £301

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Social Housing
Tackling Fuel Poverty – 4.5m - 17% of homes in UK

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ESCOs

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Any further questions
Thank you for listening