Home power plants project unveiled in Germany

HAMBURG, GERMANY - An ambitious project was unveiled in Germany to install mini gas-fired power plants in people's basements and produce as much electricity as two nuclear reactors within a year.

The Hamburg-based renewable energy group Lichtblick and its automaker partner Volkswagen say the plants would produce not only heating and hot water but also electricity, with any excess power fed into the local grid.

The two firms said the concept of "SchwarmStrom" (literally, "swarm power") would allow Germany to abandon nuclear and coal power stations sooner and help compensate for the volatility of renewables like wind and solar power.

The plants also reduce harmful carbon dioxide emissions by up to 60 percent compared to conventional heat and electricity generation, they added in a joint statement.

In the coming year the programme will install 100,000 of the mini plants, producing between them 2,000 megawatts of electricity, the same as two nuclear plants, Lichtblick and VW said.

"SchwarmStrom is revolutionizing power production in Germany. It clears the way for more renewable energy and an exit from power from nuclear and coal," the statement added.

Related News

uk wind farm

UK windfarms generate record amount of electricity during Storm Malik

GLASGOW - The UK’s windfarms generated a record amount of renewable electricity over the weekend as Storm Malik battered parts of Scotland and northern England.

Wind speeds of up to 100 miles an hour recorded in Scotland helped wind power generation to rise to a provisional all-time high of more than 19,500 megawatts – or more than half the UK’s electricity – according to data from National Grid.

National Grid’s electricity system operator said that although it recognised the new milestone towards the UK’s ‘net zero’ carbon future, it was “also thinking of those affected by Storm Malik”.

The deadly storm caused widespread…

READ MORE
wind power

Wind Leading Power

READ MORE

Hydro One CEO's $4.5M salary Point of Controversy

Hydro One CEO's $4.5M salary won't be reduced to help cut electricity costs

READ MORE

tariffs-on-chinese-electric-vehicles

Tariffs on Chinese Electric Vehicles

READ MORE

power blackout

Study: US Power Grid Has More Blackouts Than ENTIRE Developed World

READ MORE