100,000 mini power plants to substitute for 2 nuclear plants

A collaboration in Germany is about to explore whether a sizable distributed generation project can supplant centralized power plants.  For this project - called SchwarmStrom - 100,000 mini gas-fired generators will provide heat and power in German homes and businesses, with a combined output of 2000 MW!

Households would pay around $7,250 to have the generators set up along with an appropriate heating system.

But individuals would then pay a lower price for heating and receive a modest “rent” for hosting the generator, as well as a bonus at the end of the year calculated on electricity revenues that resulted from Lichtblick’s sales.

The concept has significant potential because the small-scale plants will each serve as a combined-heat-and-power system, providing heat and hot water for the host homes, making the project more economical.