1. Dr. Alem Tesfai Renewable Energy Consultant, CIBSE
micro-CHP
Dr. Alem Tesfai
Renewable Energy Consultant, CIBSE

2. Introduction to CIBSE What we do …
The professional body that exists to
support the Science, Art and
Practice of building services
engineering, by providing CIBSE
members and the public with first
class information and education
Services.
What we do …
CIBSE is the prime source of expertise for sustainable buildings.
CIBSE is the 6th largest Professional Engineering Institution with over 22,000 members worldwide
CIBSE provides best practice advice

3. Micro-CHP program at CIBSE
Motivation:
The built environment is a large contributor to the greenhouse gas emissions.
The need for using micro-CHP in Europe is increasingly becoming clearer.
CIBSE members are considering installing micro CHP systems to comply with Building Regulations.
Fuel cell micro-CHP for the built environment are slowly reaching commercialisation
CIBSE members are asking for information

4. Key aim of CIBSE program
Evaluate micro-CHP systems and ranking of their applicability to different building scenarios.
Produce guidance for recognition of micro-CHP within regulatory assessment measures such as BREEAM.
Provide recommendation relevant to CIBSE members.
Promotion of guidance to government stakeholders and legislators.

5. Objectives Work in partnership with the industry
To improve awareness of the technology and to develop targeted policy towards achieving sustainable market for micro-CHP.
To facilitate the commercialization of micro-CHP systems by creating and transferring knowledge to stakeholders (architects, builders and building designers).
Raise awareness through education and dissemination of the current status of the technology and the barriers to market uptake in the UK.

6. What will the commercial companies involved gain from this collaboration?
This is an excellent opportunity to showcase micro-CHP systems.
Successful demonstration of effective performance by a clearly independent arbiter will surely be of key value to the companies involved and indeed to the wider industry.
An important output of this project is the promotion of micro-CHP systems and their increased installation.
CIBSE will develop independent recommendations at policy level, which would help stimulate micro-CHP market for office and multifamily residential buildings.

7. CIBSE fuel cell micro-CHP
case study
CIBSE Headquarters
Key achievements:
SOFC micro-CHP BlueGEN installed at CIBSE HQ in London.
System tested for over 9 month generated 9500 kWh electricity.
Most of the DHW for the office building is covered by the heat recovered from the fuel cell micro-CHP.
300L hot water tank
FC-micro-CHP

8. SYSTEM PERFORMANCE TEST RESULTS
performance initially showing over 60% electrical efficiency stabilising at 58%
1.5kW Power
A consistent 3K difference between Flow and Return temperature shows high heat recovery.
Week end tank temp Reaching almost 60 ˚C

9. CIBSE micro-CHP survey
Initial results:
This survey aims to capture the views of CIBSE members who have experience of micro-CHP systems (below 5kWe) and to identify barriers to market.
Status
Open
Partial complete 5%
Total responded so far 81
Completed
95%

10. Micro-CHP are preferred to large scale CHP
Getting multiple clients to agree to a joint CHP is considerably more difficult than providing it on a building by building basis
Easier to install
Easier to maintain

11. Barriers to market System up front cost Maintenance cost
Lack of awareness
Lack of evidence that includes
Performance
Reliability
Lack of communication (engagement with end users and stake holders)

12. Barriers to market Technical issues:
Over sizing seems to be a common problem
Optimized micro-CHP and developments in system design needs more attention.
Lack of matching heat and electrical requirements in many buildings to a typical micro-CHP unit.

13. Barriers to exporting electricity onto the grid and getting paid a fair price
The layering of charges that make up the end
users bills is complex, the generation cost
would not represent the majority of the
charge.
Additional charges for distribution of the power, metering , billing etc all add to the mix.
Another approach is that of peer to peer
local network charging.
In this arrangement individual micro-CHP
owners could sell their surplus to local users.
Prices can be set around the retail pricing rather than to cost of generating.

14. Other factors affecting market confidence
Hard to find good quality advice from contractors.
Most specifiers don't understand that insufficient heat demand means the CHP will not operate.
Hard to convince facilities managers to use this technology due to bad reputation (failure, high maintenance costs)

15. CIBSE Recommendation Build confidence
Build communication through knowledge transfer from industry to end users and building engineers
Identify current and future cost of the technology
Identify and communicate barriers
Understand analyze and verify current status of the technology including enabling technologies such as
Thermal and Electrical storage
Control
Develop technical guidance for building engineers

16. Conclusion
One of the key barriers to the market uptake of micro-CHP in the UK is lack of awareness about the technology.
CIBSE believes there are market opportunities for fuel cell micro-CHP
We want to work with the industry to improve awareness of micro-CHP to CIBSE members and the general public.

17. Thank you