PhD Thesis - Energy Systems Research Unit - University of Strathclyde

Micro-cogeneration can make use of the ‘waste heat’ exhausted from practically anyenergy conversion system including the traditional internal combustion (IC) engines,stirling engines, to the more advanced technologies such as micro-gas turbines andfuel cells [18].The idea of re-utilising waste heat from an electricity producing process is not a newconcept. In 1882, Thomas Edison’s first commercial power station in Pearl Streetused to supply both power and heat [19] to a neighbouring block in Manhattan.Similarly, district heating in northern and central Europe has been successfullyimplemented for many years, with the result that an average 13% of the grosselectricity generation in the EU is currently produced by cogeneration as shown inFigure 1.2 (data published by Eurostat for 2009 [10]).Fig. 1.2 - Share of electricity produced by cogeneration in the EUGiven the proven experience in the technology and its substantial use in large partsof Scandinavia [20], it is by no means surprising that cogeneration already plays animportant role in ensuring an efficient energy supply in these countries. Furtherincrease in the use of cogeneration in such countries or indeed introducing large scalecogeneration in countries with no prior experience of district heating is howeverhindered by the fact that district heating requires huge investments costs andimplementing such a scheme requires appropriate location conditions (e.g. densepopulation) and extensive infrastructural work [20].5