Funded Projects 2014-2020

Project H-CHP

Project Acronym	H-CHP
Project Title	Micro Combined Heat and Power System for Households
Project subsite	H-CHP

Summary

The purpose of the project is to promote the uptake of Combined Heating and Power systems (CHP) in the region using solid renewable biomass and gasification methods that will be appropriate for remote households.

The Northern Periphery Area has abundant natural fuel resources but is subject to a harsher climate than the rest of Europe and these results in the need for increased domestic energy. Attempts to exploit natural energy resources for households has been mixed, and as a result, there is significant fuel poverty in the region. A key component is the high cost of electricity.

It has been estimated that up to 70% of electrical energy can be lost in production and transmission lines before reaching the end user – primarily as heat loss. The principle of CHP is to use some of the heat in the home to generate electricity; this is intrinsically highly efficient.

Objectives

1. Promote and optimize reliable, sustainable and affordable small-scale heat and power supply solutions for households in remote and low population density areas with extreme climates. H-CHP provides efficient heat and affordable power, maximising use of renewable fuel available in local communities. H-CHP promotes self sufficiency and strengthens energy supply through improved resilience and lowers demand in remote weak grid areas.

2. Increased use of renewable energy in housing in the remote and sparsely populated areas. The project develops CHP to increase the use of biomass from renewable sources by remote communities, using locally sourced appropriate fuels. This will stimulate and help develop the set-up of local fuel supply chain and industries to support this.

3. Increased awareness of the small-scale renewable energy solutions suitable for the program area. H-CHP is principally promotes biomass heat and power system for the NPA area. The project develops forums, tools and mechanisms to increase awareness of small scale renewable energy potential solutions across the programme area and beyond.

Impacts

Tangible

Reduced environmental impact:	Using locally available renewable energy sources, such as biomass, reduces fuel import costs (and emissions). By using locally available biomass to produce energy and electricity in small CHP units, there is no need to import energy from elsewhere and the transmission lost from the grid is reduced. This increases the competitiveness and reliability of local companies, for example during power outages.

Reduced environmental impact:

Using locally available renewable energy sources, such as biomass, reduces fuel import costs (and emissions). By using locally available biomass to produce energy and electricity in small CHP units, there is no need to import energy from elsewhere and the transmission lost from the grid is reduced. This increases the competitiveness and reliability of local companies, for example during power outages.

Intangible

Changing attitude and behaviour:	Possibilities for the use of CHP equipment and renewable energy have been highlighted in different regional events and workshops. Pros and contra of CHP were shared at these events. CHPs using renewable energy sources have been seen by many as a viable and more environmentally friendly alternative to the current heating systems and imported energy.
Building institutional capacity:	The H-CHP project aimed at increasing the knowledge and access to energy efficient heating methods, such as combined heat and power (CHP). During the project, a comprehensive information package for stakeholders was created, containing for example a Toolkit introducing how to run the Wood Log Gasifiers, a Community guide for communities interested in HCP, Guide for users explaining how to combine HCP with other household systems, or a Report of CHP related regulations across the Northern Periphery and Arctic. All the materials are available on project´s page.

Changing attitude and behaviour:

Possibilities for the use of CHP equipment and renewable energy have been highlighted in different regional events and workshops. Pros and contra of CHP were shared at these events. CHPs using renewable energy sources have been seen by many as a viable and more environmentally friendly alternative to the current heating systems and imported energy.

Building institutional capacity:

The H-CHP project aimed at increasing the knowledge and access to energy efficient heating methods, such as combined heat and power (CHP). During the project, a comprehensive information package for stakeholders was created, containing for example a Toolkit introducing how to run the Wood Log Gasifiers, a Community guide for communities interested in HCP, Guide for users explaining how to combine HCP with other household systems, or a Report of CHP related regulations across the Northern Periphery and Arctic. All the materials are available on project´s page.

Lead Partner

University of Oulu
Finland
Markku Kananen
phone +358 40 559 4969
e-mail: markku.kananen@oulu.fi

Partners

Energy Action Ltd
Ireland
Lews Castle College UHI
Scotland
Luleå University of Technology
Sweden
Oulu University of Applied Sciences
Finland
Tighean Innse Gall
UK
University of Iceland
Iceland

Project Info

Theme
Renewable energy, eco products

Priority
3 Renewables and Energy Efficiency

Objective
3 Increased use of energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions

Project duration
31-07-17 to 30-07-20

Total budget
1 993 257 EUR

NPA co-financing
1 284 946 EUR

Target groups
local public authority
regional public authority
infrastructure and (public) service provider
enterprise, including SME
national public authority
interest groups including NGOs
General public
higher education and research
sectoral agency
education/training centre and school

Joint Secretariat Desk Officer
Kirsti Mijnhijmer