Mini Power Plants

4 German Stirling Congress within the framework of the CEP CLEAN ENERGY & PASSIVEHOUSE 2012 heating, also combined heat power (CHP) called, holding boom in the area of electricity generation ends especially in terms of mini – and micro-cogeneration for single-family homes unabated on. Inspired by the current debate on the nuclear phaseout, energy transformation, as well as the search for alternative energy sources undreamed market potentials for the area. (Similarly see: GSK CEO). A great importance to this particularly Stirling engines than micro-CHP appliances. This is highlighted CLEAN ENERGY & PASSIVEHOUSE 2012 at the “4th German Stirling Congress” within the framework of the CEP on the 29.03.2012. The CEP will take place from the 29th until March 31, 2012 already for the fifth time in the Stuttgart Exhibition Centre and offers an ideal platform for the presentation of innovative CHP technologies.

After many years of development work and some abortive attempts in other areas, is succeeded now to Stirling in the application as a Micro CHP unit in series production. Are now at almost all major manufacturers of heating technology called Stirlingheizgerate available, the a small Stirling engine-CHP in the performance class by 1kWel exhibit. One – and two-family homes are used these devices. “The advantage over the gasoline engine-CHP is obvious”, emphasizes Prof. Dr.-ing. Bernd Thomas of the Reutlingen Research Institute RRI of at Reutlingen, “due to the non-essential oil no oil rotation is necessary, leading to a lower maintenance costs. Stirling engines can be built up even completely maintenance-free after the free piston principle, so that only the annual inspection and, if necessary, the cleaning of the combustion chamber similar to gas boilers remain and no overhead compared with a conventional heating technology.