Residential Home Decarbonization Using Advanced Micro-CHP
By:
Gao, Zhiming ; Zoldak, Philip; Molana, Maysam; Beaudry losique, Jacques
Page Number:
959-967
Volume:
131
Book Title:
ASHRAE Transactions
Publication Date:
February 2025
Publisher Location:
ASHRAE, Orlando, United States of America
Conference Name:
2025 ASHRAE Winter Conference
Conference Location:
Orlando, Florida, United States of America
Conference Sponsor:
ASHRAE
Abstract
An efficient micro-combined heat and power (CHP) prototype was developed to provide heat and electricity for single-family homes and light commercial buildings. The unit can be installed independently at the point of energy consumption. Consequently, it enables cost-effectively and flexibly matching heat and electrical loads, simplifying distribution and installation processes, and recovering and storing waste heat as hot water. The analyzed results show that the micro-CHP using natural gas as fuel achieves 10.68%–32.80% CO2 reduction in the selected five home applications. The potential effect of H2 on decarbonization of these home was also evaluated, finding that the micro-CHP using a blended fuel with H2 and natural gas can further reduce CO2 emissions. However, the 50% CO2 reduction in the micro-CHP requires at least 70%–90% of H2 in the blend with natural gas. Overall, the micro-CHP technology demonstrates a solid potential to accelerate micro-CHP adoption in residential and light commercial markets, thereby promoting broader micro-CHP acceptance and use in the future for building decarbonization.
