ABSTRACT
This book has addressed the opportunities and challenges of residential, or domestic-scale, microgeneration. It has been shown that there are three broad areas that shape the performance and savings that can be realised by microgeneration: its setting (climate, building, energy demands), the heating/cooling system it will augment or replace (cost, efficiency and emissions) and the electricity generation mix it will displace (which depends on the country, fuel prices, season and time of day). In general, domestic-scale microgeneration systems are at an earlier stage of development than larger, commercial-scale systems, and face steeper technical and economic challenges. Domestic microgeneration is allowed to become grid connected in most countries, so that homes can be net exporters when generation exceeds the home’s consumption of electricity. Japan is a notable exception, where micro-CHP (mCHP) systems cannot feed into the grid, which has forced companies to design ever-smaller systems to maximise their on-site usage. The regulations governing two-way grid connection differ from country to country, although most now have clear standards – particularly for solar PV.
