climate change committee discusses microchp po

House of Commons Climate Change Committee discusses microCHP potential

November 19, 2013
Paul Blacklock Head of Strategy and Corporate Affairs at Calor Gas gave evidence in front of the House Of Commons Climate Change Committee on issues related to heat policy on Tuesday 12th November. Paul participated in the second part of the session focusing on the role that microCHP can play in the UK’s low carbon heat agenda.

The inquiry focused on a range of different issues surrounding heat. Specifically, the future of the gas and electricity grids, the specific issues related to heating off-gas grid homes and government policies in reducing heat demand. You can watch the enquiry here.

Other panel members included; Dr Richard Leese, Director, Mineral Products Association, Jim Lambeth, General Manager, Solid Fuel Association, and Mike Mason, DPhil Researcher, University of Oxford.

Asked how and where microCHP offers carbon advantages for the UK, Paul stated that; ‘the UK should look to the German and Japanese Governments which have both been actively incentivising the widespread installation of microCHP technologies into people’s homes in the wake of the phasing out of nuclear. MicroCHP works best during periods of peak demand where the waste heat can be utilised in the home or business.

During the hearing, Paul highlighted the advantages microCHP can offer as distributed generation uptake increases. Widespread microCHP deployment would take stress off the grid through its capacity to generate electricity as well as heat and also defray the investment UK PLC would need to make in centralised generation. In addition to this, Paul explained that this would allow consumers in 25 million homes to compete with the “Big 6” by generating electricity within their own homes thus democratising electricity supply and increasing competition.

In a committee discussion that was partially overshadowed by increasing fuel and electricity costs, the point that microCHP is a technology that can be readily deployed to deliver cost reductions gave the committee significant food for thought.

For more information contact:

James Bayliss
e: [email protected]

- See more at: Link


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