The annual UK CHP Association Awards usually offer some clues to...

The annual UK CHP Association Awards usually offer some clues to the status of the combined heat and power market in Britain. This year saw a new emphasis on CHP-based district heating schemes serving mainly public sector homes, as Steve Hodgson reports.

New district heating schemes in London and Glasgow won both the public sector, and the campus, community and residential awards, while a CHP scheme serving an industrial site in Scotland won the industry and commerce award. A micro-CHP scheme based on solid oxide fuel cell technology won the award for innovation. Put another way, a community centre, a medical device manufacturing plant, and residents of more than 2,000 homes are now benefiting from reduced energy bills resulting from the installation of CHP and district heating schemes, while fuel cell-based micro-CHP is finally a reality in the UK.

Presenting the awards at a dinner held in London last November, CHPA president Lord Risby stressed the benefits for householders connected to district heating schemes: "We should be proud of the impact that CHP and district heating have in ensuring that some of the most vulnerable in our society have access to secure and affordable sources of heat."

The Innovation Award

The Innovation Award was presented to Ceramic Fuel Cells for the BlueGen fuel cell micro-CHP unit installed at the Madeley Centre, a community facility near Crewe, Staffordshire, England. Alongside the technological innovation, the scheme delivers social benefits too, providing reduced fuel bills to residents of the centre.

The Madeley Centre provides a range of community facilities to support the health, welfare and well-being of local people. Through these facilities the Centre delivers a range of opportunities for young and old, run by the community for the benefit of the community, in a sustainable way.

The Centre directly supports the residents of the attached Lea Court, a sheltered housing and extra care scheme owned by housing association Housing 21.

The Centre combines a range of environmental technologies and green solutions, including a ground source heat pump, PV and solar thermal panels, a natural ventilation system and a green roof – in addition to the new fuel cell-based micro-CHP unit.

The savings accruing from this BlueGen micro-CHP installation will reduce the overall heating bills, even after offsetting the cost of the electricity consumed by the ground source heat pump. The proportional saving will be passed onto the residents through reduced charges for heating their shared space.

In addition to the Madeley Centre's own charitable funding, National Grid Affordable Warmth Solutions also supported the installation of BlueGen device at the centre as part of its campaign to reduce energy bills for vulnerable homes and communities.

For the full article:
http://www.cospp.com/articles/print/volume-15/issue-1/features/city-heating-schemes-leading-the-uk-chp-awards.html