Products and Distributors
In 2007, the United States company "Climate Energy" of Massachusetts has introduced its flagship product named "Freewatt", a micro-CHP system for sale in the Northeast US domestic and small business market. The Freewatt system uses a Honda MCHP engine bundled with a high-efficiency gas furnace (for warm air systems) or boiler (for hydronic or forced hot water heating systems). The generator alone is not available for purchase separate from the furnace. The engine generates up to 1.2 kW of electricity at 20% efficiency. Most of the waste heat is captured for space heating, resulting in 85% efficiency overall. The system generates electricity opportunistically, only when space heating is needed during cold weather. The system is priced at about $14k, with the furnace being worth about $5k.
The engine generator has been demonstrated to run about 4000 hours per year (nearly 50% duty), and produce up to 5000 kWh of electricity per year, worth about $1k at the residential level. The system is internet connected and after about 4000 hours, it automatically sends an email requesting service. The main purpose of regular service is for an engine oil change.
It has been demonstrated in dozens of homes that Freewatt will produce about 50% of the electric power needs of a typical US home from the fuel now used to heat the home (which must be natural gas or propane), thereby doubling the value of the heating fuel purchased by the homeowner awhile reducing electricity demand and emissions from large, centralized power plants.
The product has already received numerous awards, including breakthrough product of the year from Popular Mechanics Magazine, and is expected by some to be widely available throughout the United States in 2008 or 2009. Estimates are that this product could be used in about 50 million homes in the United States. The Freewatt product is being brought to the national US and Canadian market by ECR International, the leading business partner of Climate Energy. ECR International is an 80 year old company with extensive line of heating and cooling products for the home.
Through a pilot program scheduled for mid-2009 in Southern Ontario, the Freewatt system is being offered exclusively by Eden Oak and offers homeowners a new option for controlling their energy costs and reducing their environmental footprint. The initiative, which reflects the collaborative efforts of the Government of Canada, Eden Oak, ECR International, Enbridge Gas Distribution and National Grid, will involve the sale and installation of the Freewatt systems in new Eden Oak communities in the Toronto area.
Trenergi Corp., Hopkinton, Massachusetts, an early stage company, in June 2010, announced its Trion residential, high-temperature (300 F) micro-CHP, in proof-of-concept stage, that operates on both gas and oil, demonstrating combined heat and electrical power efficiencies of up to 90%. Their first products will be 1, 3, and 5 kW units.
Read more about this topic: Micro Combined Heat And Power
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“Isn’t it odd that networks accept billions of dollars from advertisers to teach people to use products and then proclaim that children aren’t learning about violence from their steady diet of it on television!”
—Toni Liebman (20th century)