Developing a Highly Efficient Micro-Scale CHP System

In the past years, comprehensive work has been done on the development of small-scale solid biomass based combined heat and power generation technologies. But still only few systems are available, their efficiencies are rather moderate, their fuel flexibility is restricted and their market penetration is poor.

Against this background, the on-going Horizon 2020 project FlexiFuel-SOFC aims at developing a new, highly efficient and fuel-flexible micro-scale biomass CHP technology for a capacity range of 25 to 150 kW (fuel power). A first testing plant has already been designed, constructed and is presently taken into operation.

The paper "Development of a highly efficient micro-scale CHP system based on fuel-flexible gasification and a SOFC" by Thomas Brunner, Christian Ramerstorfer, Ingwald Obernberger (all BIOS BIOENERGIESYSTEME GmbH), Michael Kerschbaum (Windhager Zentralheizung Technik GmbH), P. V. Aravind (Delf University of Technology), Robert Makkus (HyGear VG), Stefan Megel (Fraunhofer Institut für Keramische Technologien und Systeme), Martin Hauth, Michael Seidl, Stefan Weißensteiner (all AVL List GmbH), Thomas Götz (Wuppertal Institute, Research Group Energy, Transport and Climate Policy), and William Zappa (Utrecht University) summarises the project findings so far. It was presented at the 25th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition 2017, one of the world's leading research & development conferences, which is combined with an international exhibition. The EUBCE offers a platform for the collection, exchange and dissemination of scientific know-how in the field of biomass. The paper is now available for download.