SolarTurbo-CHP, Semi-renewable, grid independent micro combined heat and power system

The need for a resilient, agile and reliable energy infrastructure is critical for the growth of the economy and its decarbonisation of infrastructure. Developed and developing countries both have their own challenges to address; while the cost of grid reinforcement is significant for developed countries, reliable grid availability is what developing countries require to flourish. In both scenarios, successful deployment of efficient distributed power generation systems will play a significant role. However, distributed power generation deployment has its own barriers; high cost of ownership and long return on investment time. The outcome of this project will be a semi-renewable micro combined heat and power system called the SolarTurbo-CHP, capable of generating 3.44 kW of power and 25 kW of heat simultaneously. SolarTurbo-CHP will be tailored to South African market needs and its high solar irradiance opportunity.
SolarTurbo-CHP aims to improve energy accessiblity in remote locations, increase energy efficiency (up to 90%), reduce CO2 emission by 30%, and reduce energy cost by 30% by generating power as by-product of heat as well as taking advantage of free solar energy when available.