Michael ColijnParis 29-30 May 2008

Gas Industry Workshop on microCHP

“What do you do, when you are ahead of the rest?”

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- The Product - (from idea to commerce)

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AlternatorHeating water circuit

Fan

Gas valve/controller

Exhaust Heat Exchanger

Electrical output

Core engine

Burner

WhisperGen MicroCHP SystemEnclosure

Additional burner

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The WhisperGen Stirling Engine

Technical Details

Model / Housing MkV AC Generator gas fired, floor standing unit

Motor Double acting 4-Cylinder-Stirling-Cycle

Power Electric: 1.000W AC at 220 – 240V.

Heat: Standard heat output 7,5kW and maximum heat output 12kW

Fuel Natural gas [most types]

Grid connection 4-pole Asynchronous,IEC connection

Size & Weight 480 x 560 x 840 (B x D x H)<137 kg

Environment Ambient temp: 0-45°CHumidity: 0-95%

Flue gas Horizontal or vertical connection

Certification CE-marked & local accreditation

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The WhisperGen EU1

Based on the same 4-cylinder design– Principle is: reliability, stability,

manufacturability

If anybody claims to have a product, there are only 3 questions to ask:– Can you make it in volume for <Euro 1500?– Can I buy one today?– Can you show a mean life of +10 yrs

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- The Marriage – (of a little girl with a BIG BOY)

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WhisperGenHere’s what Wikipedia has to say:

WhisperGen, a New Zealand-based company has developed stirling engines that can be powered by natural gas or diesel. Recently an agreement has been signed with Mondragon Corporación Cooperativa, a Spanish firm, to produce WhisperGen's microCHP and make them available for the domestic market in Europe.

Founded: 1995 based on a development by Don Clucas Employees: 100 Ranking: 1st Commercial Stirling microCHP company

worldwide Structure: Limited Company, >93% owned by Meridian

Energy, New Zealand’s largest energy supplier that is 100% Government owned

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WhisperGen

So what have they manufactured in Christchurch?

Since its start in 1995, WhisperGen has manufactured 2500+ units

7 large winter trials of >500 units across Europe 15 different locations & countries Life time testing of >100.000 hours cumulatively Longest running units have +10 years life Proven reliability: lab, field trials, with end-users Proven energy saving, proven carbon saving Proven commercial viability

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WhisperGen

So where do they make these WhisperGens?

WhisperGen “country” Christchurch

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Mondragon Cooperative Corporation

Here’s what Wikipedia has to say: The Mondragón Cooperative Corporation is a

group of manufacturing and retail companies based in the Basque Country and extended over the rest of Spain and abroad. It is one of the world's largest worker cooperatives and one important example of workers' self-management

Founded: 1956 by a priest, Father Arizmendi Employees: 100.000+, and still growing Structure: Workers Cooperative Turnover: Euro 14 billion [2007] Total Assets: Euro 43 billion Ranking: 7th largest industrial group

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Mondragon Cooperative Corporation

So what do they manufacture, apart from WhisperGens? They make >1000 different products in >100

factories, with a total space of more than >1 million football fields

But for us – today – it is important to know they make >1,000,000 gas fired heating appliances per year. And they make engines for Europe’s largest car brands, and they make >8m units of whitegoods (fridges, washing machines etc) per year.

The combined knowledge of gas industry, white goods appliances and automotive is why WhisperGen wanted to work with MCC.

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Mondragon Cooperative Corporation

So where do they manufacture these WhisperGens?

MCC “country”

Mondragon

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The Joint Venture

WhisperGen

EHE

Efficient Home Energy

MCC

Production of WhisperGens for Europe in Europe

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The Joint Venture

Based in the Basque Country– On its own land– Own factory line– Using expertise, personnel and logistics from both MCC

and WhisperGen Initial line of 30,000 units p.a.

– Low volume production Q4 2008– Slowly ramping up towards end 2009

Distribution in Europe– Main distribution partners identified– Network in 6 key countries established– Service team functional & experienced

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- The Test – (the proof of the pudding)

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The Test

High number of installations In different countries Different partners At least 3 winters Integrate your findings To build commercial product

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Where are those WhisperGens?

UK: 6th year

NL: 5th year

IR: large trial

FR: Large trialsIT: Field trials

D: Many trials

ES: Trials

SI: Test units

P: Several sites

S: Several sites

B: Lab tests

CH: Trials

A: Trials

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Future Tech: The Virtual Power Plant Testing the strength of the network with 48 WhisperGens

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Future Tech: The Virtual Power Plant Testing the strength of the network with 48 WhisperGens

Conclusions from the test with WhisperGens on the Grid:

The Network is SAFE

The Network is STABLE

WhisperGen can be INSTALLED without any special changes

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- Next steps – (toward a real microCHP market)

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Next steps

Stop the “next year” syndrome, by starting production now

Work with industry to call for fair & open access to market – grid connection, gas efficiency standards

Fight unfair standards with aligned companies and governments

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Next steps

The most important issue for microCHP is that governments understand its simplicity:– Our technology gives energy saving– Energy saving = carbon reduction

At all cost we – collectively – need to avoid overcomplicated calculations that do not work thermodynamically, and nobody understands

WhisperGen/EHE will continue to work with industry on collective standards and government support across Europe for a range of technologies

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What can we learn from Alice in Wonderland?

“Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place.

If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!” Alice takes advice from the Queen...

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“So, what do you do, when you are ahead of the rest?”

1.You look for confirmation in what you are doing by testing, testing, testing

2.You work with fellow developers & future competitors to develop the market, fair standards

And3.You keep running as fast as you can,

because there is nothing less certain than staying in front.