A Review – Renewable energy based micro-cogeneration and hybrid energy systems

To reduce carbon and greenhouse gas emissions, the more efficient and environmentally friendly energy production in the building sector is required. The deployment of renewable energy based microcogeneration units in the decentralized hybrid energy systems is a part of the solution. The micro combined heat and power (micro-CHP), or co-generation, units produce simultaneously heat and electricity from a single fuel source at high efficiency and close to the consumption point. These units offer significant benefits: reduced primary energy consumption, reduced CO2 emissions, and avoidance of distribution losses due to central plant and network construction. The objective of this paper is to present a review of available renewable energy based micro-CHP systems and to focus on the biomass and solar based conversion devices. Finally, a novel hybrid renewable energy system is presented by coupling renewable energy sources, such as solar and biomass for micro-CHP.