of which PV has the greatest capacity of approximately 2.3 GW, followed by
biomass CHP systems.
Thus, although PV systems and biomass CHP plants result in reasonable environmental benefits, they are unpopular economically due to relatively high initial
costs. As buffering options, solar heaters and heat pumps, as well as natural gas-fired
power plants and CHP systems, can be introduced to reduce CO 2 emissions with
acceptable costs over a short-term period.
Table 7.1 Cost and efficiency of technologies examined in this chapter
Fuel
Technology
Capital cost
($/kW)
Efficiency (%)
Index Equipment
Electricity Heat
Coal
CB
Boiler
89
–
70
LPG
LB
Boiler
111
–
80
LS
Stove
22
–
40
Electricity
HP
Heat pump
5556
–
3
Natural gas
NB
Boiler
111
–
90
NP
Power plant
1778
48
–
DE
Diesel engine
2444
38
16
PA
Phosphoric acid fuel
cell
7778
40
40
GE
Gas engine
2778
30
40
GT
Gas turbine
2222
23
51
Solar
SH
Heater
222
–
30
PV
PV
6667
14
–
Woody biomass
WF
Direct fired
5333
28
–
WG
Gasification
7778
36
–
WA
Boiler
1111
–
65
WC
CHP
11,111
23
43
Agricultural
biomass
AF
Direct fired
3889
18
–
AG
Gasification
5556
25
–
AB
Boiler
889
–
50
AC
CHP
7444
20
40
Livestock biomass
LA
Anaerobic digestion
7556
25
–
LG
Gasification
5556
22
–
LB
Boiler
1667
–
55
LC
CHP
13,333
25
45
Food biomass
FG
Gasification
7778
18
–
FA
Anaerobic digestion
11,111
25
–
FB
Boiler
2222
–
50
FC
CHP
16,667
25
45
Sewage sludge
SF
Direct fired
8889
21
–
SA
Anaerobic digestion
12,222
25
–
SB
Boiler
1667
–
55
SC
CHP
17,778
21
40
144
H. Ren and W. Zhou