Circular Ecology contributes to new book on Microgeneration

Taylor & Francis is due to publish a new book on Domestic Microgeneration on 16 June 2015, containing a chapter co-authored by Dr Stephen Allen of Circular Ecology.

Microgeneration – producing energy for the home, in the home – can provide a substantial improvement over the current centralised and detached energy model employed the world over.

A key benefit of microgeneration is lower carbon dioxide emissions during operation, compared with conventional energy technologies. This benefit must however be weighed up against the environmental ‘costs’ of microgeneration technologies, including the ‘embodied’ carbon dioxide emissions associated with their manufacture.

For this reason, the book includes a chapter describing the life cycle assessment of a range of micro-generation technologies including a wind turbine, a solar photovoltaic panel, a solar hot water system, and a fuel cell “micro-CHP” system. The chapter is written by Stephen Allen (Circular Ecology) in collaboration with Dr Marcelle McManus (University of Bath) and Dr Iain Staffell (Imperial College London). It draws on real-world data collected from microgeneration manufacturers, and builds on previous research including a paper with Prof. Geoff Hammond (University of Bath) that was awarded the George Stephenson Prize by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. The chapter finds that all four technologies payback their embodied carbon well within their lifetimes through the operational carbon savings they provide.

The book as a whole is the first in-depth reference work for the exciting and emerging field of microgeneration. It provides detailed reviews of ten state-of-the-art technologies and considers them within the wider context of the home in which they are installed and the way that they are operated. It describes successes and pitfalls of applying the technologies, and offers best practice guidance on their adoption. The interdisciplinary book draws together the social, economic, political and environmental aspects into a single must-have reference for academics, students, industry professionals, policy makers and the growing number of energy-literate householders who are looking for ways to minimise their environmental footprint and their energy bills with microgeneration.

The book is available for pre-order now from the Taylor & Francis website.

Book reviews

“Is the widespread belief that microgeneration is “a good thing” well founded, or is it wishful thinking? How well does each microgeneration technology perform in practice? How cost effective is each technology, taking into account its embodied materials? This book does a great job of assembling the evidence and sorting the wheat from the chaff.” – David J.C. MacKay FRS, Regius Professor of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Former Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change

“Microgeneration could play a significant role in the mosaic of solutions to the problem of low-carbon heat. Its role in empowering energy consumers can also be overlooked. This book separates fact from prejudice and provides an evidence base that policymakers and anyone with an interest in the area can rely on.” – Jim Skea CBE, RCUK Energy Strategy Fellow and Professor of Sustainable Energy, Imperial College London

Circular Ecology

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