Yanmar Bio-Fuelled Micro-CHP Demonstrator Project
Yanmar, Japan's leading CHP manufacturer is currently embarking on a new bio-fuel micro-CHP initiative in collaboration with NaREC, which is seeing the demonstration of the first micro-CHP units in the UK to be fuelled by bio-diesel.
Having already established research and development programmes into bio-fuelled micro-CHP systems in Malaysia and India, this new development project is allowing Yanmar to investigate the viability of transferring the technology to the European market.
The new development programme, established through the work of the North East's regional development agency, ONE Northeast, involves a new collaborative partnership with NaREC, and Newcastle University. New 9.9kW Micro-CHP units are being demonstrated, tested and developed until 2010. Endurance testing on the new systems is currently being carried out for twelve months at NaREC's electrical laboratory. Over the three year period, the economic and ecological viability of the new units will be fully assessed ahead of future plans to implement or modify the technology for the European market.
Makoto Yasuda from the Environmental Business Development Department said, "Micro-CHP has the potential to be an influential heating technology that decreases carbon dioxide emissions through increased energy efficiency in households and small businesses. Yanmar has developed Japan's smallest commercial-use cogeneration package system, with one of the highest energy efficiency ratings in its class - using bio-diesel culminates to even greater energy savings, and means that we can put to good use waste materials. This new development project will enable us to fully explore the viability of bio-fuel micro-CHP to create new solutions for low carbon heat and power in Europe."
Andrew Mill, CEO at NaREC, "The North east has an excellent supply chain for bio-fuels, and this combined with our own expertise for new energy technology application will assist Yanmar in developing bio-fuel micro CHP further for the European market. The aim of this new research and development project with Yanmar is to further explore ways of diversifying existing proven energy technology which uses conventional fuel sources, and adapt it for renewables."
Demonstrator units of the innovative new CHP systems are already established across Japan in many different commercial premises, including hospitals, supermarkets, saunas and shops. The technology is ideally suited for commercial buildings because of the long service interval and the ability to adapt the system capacity as a building's energy requirement increases.
Japan is currently the world's largest micro-CHP market. It is anticipated that the market for micro-CHP in Europe will grow rapidly as mass-market products become available and some of the regulatory barriers and issues are resolved in time. There are many different policies across the European Union for renewable electricity generation and varying incentives and benefits of their installation, making the uptake of both bio-fuelled micro-CHP and traditionally fuelled micro-CHP systems in general in Europe lag behind the world market.
The application of bio-fuelled CHP is now becoming a proven and reliable technology, expected to show further rises in market potential in the coming years. It is hoped that the new demonstrator programme will raise awareness in the industry of the potential of bio-fuelled CHP as well as fully test and prove the technology to make it more suitable for Europe.
