Combined heat & power (CHP) units have been around a long time. In Europe, the German manufacturer Senertech has been selling its DACHS CHP unit for more than 10 years. DACHS uses a 1-cylinder, piston-type combustion engine. Natural gas produces electricity and the heat is transferred into a domestic or commercial heat (or DHW) boiler. One of the problems with this system is that the combustion engine is too expensive: the DACHS pricing starts around 15,000 Euro.

A Dutch company, Micro Turbine Technology (MTT) has been working on a different idea. Why not develop a gas turbine, driving a high-speed generator? Turbines have proven themselves in jet engines, power generation and car engines. MTT is located in the Dutch, high-tech area of Eindhoven—not accidentally next to the main location of Philips Electronics.

With a turbine, a domestic unit uses just a bit more natural gas, but delivers electrical output up to 3kW, saving up to 1,000 Euros in electricity bills. Such a unit would cost slightly more than a gas boiler (about 5,500 Euros) and the return-on-investment period could be as short as two to four years.

MTT has been working on small turbines since 2003, and was founded by Willy Ahout based on an idea from inventor Guus Witteveen. At first he tried to develop a rotating burner, but in 2008, realized that it would be better to switch to standard turbo chargers used in the car industry, for obvious reasons. With a turbine, a domestic unit uses just a bit more natural gas, but delivers electrical output up to 3kW, saving up to 1,000 Euros in electricity bills. Such a unit would cost slightly more than a gas boiler (about 5,500 Euros) and the return-on-investment period could be as short as two to four years.

The company uses the high-tech infrastructure around its location. Projects are shared with technical universities in Delft and Eindhoven and Dutch research institutes TNO and NLR (active in aerospace technology). Together with a truck manufacturer, a second product has been developed by the company: a small auxiliary power unit for electric and thermic power. The current problem is that when the main engine is used for this, costs are way too high (gas use and engine maintenance). Why not develop a small extra unit which can power the on-board gadgets, heat the cabin and preheat the main engine? The unit is projected to deliver up to 3kW electric and 6kW heat power.

Power company Eon wants the first 7,500 domestic units. The demonstration model is ready and the first real prototype is almost ready. Field tests are expected to start in 2011 and sales in 2012.

For more, visit www.mtt-eu.com.