Residential cogeneration of heat and power: a promising way to sustainability, a challenging field for tutors

Cogeneration issues are usually covered only partially in engineering curricula in the frame of core courses, while a course dealing exclusively with cogeneration is rarely offered. Nevertheless, the evolution of cogeneration technology and at the same time the important potential of its residential application, which is instigated through the development of distributed generation, introduces new topics on the subject regarding: the prime mover, the efficient coverage of variable loads, and the integration of cogeneration into the local energy system and into the electrical network. This work documents a framework for the specification of a modern module entirely devoted to cogeneration. Respective educational initiatives that tutors may develop are highlighted and the relevant experience gained at the authors' institute from the operation of a dedicated cogeneration course, is analysed.