The Yanmar Group has announced the creation of a new company, Yanmar Energy Systems Europe, to provide clean and efficient Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Generation solutions to the HVAC industry.
The company’s CEO, Yosuke Tajima, said the demand for power continues to rise, along with a significant need to reduce CO2 emissions, especially in Europe.
Germany is moving away from coal due to pollution and nuclear power will be completely phased out in that country by 2023.
Tajima said CHP is recognised as highly efficient as it runs on clean natural gas to generate electricity and heat. They gain their high energy efficiency by capturing and using the excess heat that comes from the engine during electricity generation, as the single fuel source provides both heat and electricity.
The new company was launched after the Yanmar Group acquired a majority holding in RMB AG (RMB), a major German provider of CHP units.
The strategic goal with RMB is the joint development of cogeneration units with Yanmar engines. It also aims to continue its market leadership of the micro-CHP sector, combining the best of Japanese and German manufacturing.
RMB general manager, Jens Brake, who is an engineer by trade, designed his first CHP system in 2008 and helped bring RMB’s neoTower unit to market three years later.
In 2015, the first cogeneration units with Yanmar engines were unveiled, available with an electrical capacity of 25 and 30kW.
Brake said CHP is the best solution for today’s energy needs. “From a business perspective, if you compare it to the other energy sources, the biggest driver is the cost savings for customers. Essentially, they are producing electrical power and heat with their own power plant – and doing it at a low cost,” he said.