What do you do when you are ahead

“What do you do, when you are ahead of the rest? ” Michael Colijn Paris 29 -30 May 2008 Gas Industry Workshop on micro. CHP

- The Product (from idea to commerce) 2

Whisper. Gen Micro. CHP System Enclosure Burner Core engine Electrical output Alternator Additional burner Exhaust Heat Exchanger Fan Gas valve/controller Heating water circuit 3

The Whisper. Gen Stirling Engine Technical Details Model / Housing Mk. V AC Generator gas fired, floor standing unit Motor Double acting 4 -Cylinder-Stirling-Cycle Power Electric: 1. 000 W AC at 220 – 240 V. Heat: Standard heat output 7, 5 k. W and maximum heat output 12 k. W Fuel Natural gas [most types] Grid connection 4 -pole Asynchronous, IEC connection Size & Weight 480 x 560 x 840 (B x D x H) <137 kg Environment Ambient temp: 0 -45°C Humidity: 0 -95% Flue gas Horizontal or vertical connection Certification CE-marked & local accreditation 4

The Whisper. Gen EU 1 Ø Based on the same 4 -cylinder design – Principle is: reliability, stability, manufacturability Ø If anybody claims to have a product, there are only 3 questions to ask: – Can you make it in volume for

- The Marriage – (of a little girl with a BIG BOY) 6

Whisper. Gen Here’s what Wikipedia has to say: Ø Whisper. Gen, a New Zealand-based company has developed stirling engines that can be powered by natural gas or diesel. Recently an agreement has been signed with Mondragon Corporación Cooperativa, a Spanish firm, to produce Whisper. Gen's micro. CHP and make them available for the domestic market in Europe. Ø Ø Founded: Employees: Ranking: Structure: 1995 based on a development by Don Clucas 100 1 st Commercial Stirling micro. CHP company worldwide Limited Company, >93% owned by Meridian Energy, New Zealand’s largest energy supplier that is 100% Government owned 7

Whisper. Gen So what have they manufactured in Christchurch? Ø Since its start in 1995, Whisper. Gen has manufactured 2500+ units Ø 7 large winter trials of >500 units across Europe Ø 15 different locations & countries Ø Life time testing of >100. 000 hours cumulatively Ø Longest running units have +10 years life Ø Proven reliability: lab, field trials, with end-users Ø Proven energy saving, proven carbon saving Ø Proven commercial viability 8

Whisper. Gen Ø So where do they make these Whisper. Gens? Whisper. Gen “country” Christchurch 9

Mondragon Cooperative Corporation Here’s what Wikipedia has to say: Ø The Mondragón Cooperative Corporation is a group of manufacturing and retail companies based in the Basque Country and extended over the rest of Spain and abroad. It is one of the world's largest worker cooperatives and one important example of workers' self-management Ø Ø Ø Founded: Employees: Structure: Turnover: Total Assets: Ranking: 1956 by a priest, Father Arizmendi 100. 000+, and still growing Workers Cooperative Euro 14 billion [2007] Euro 43 billion 7 th largest industrial group 10

Mondragon Cooperative Corporation So what do they manufacture, apart from Whisper. Gens? Ø They make >1000 different products in >100 factories, with a total space of more than >1 million football fields Ø But for us – today – it is important to know they make >1, 000 gas fired heating appliances per year. And they make engines for Europe’s largest car brands, and they make >8 m units of whitegoods (fridges, washing machines etc) per year. Ø The combined knowledge of gas industry, white goods appliances and automotive is why Whisper. Gen wanted to work with MCC. 11

Mondragon Cooperative Corporation So where do they manufacture these Whisper. Gens? MCC “country” Mondragon 12

The Joint Venture Whisper. Gen MCC EHE Efficient Home Energy Production of Whisper. Gens for Europe in Europe 13

The Joint Venture Ø Based in the Basque Country – On its own land – Own factory line – Using expertise, personnel and logistics from both MCC and Whisper. Gen Ø Initial line of 30, 000 units p. a. – Low volume production Q 4 2008 – Slowly ramping up towards end 2009 Ø Distribution in Europe – Main distribution partners identified – Network in 6 key countries established – Service team functional & experienced 14

- The Test – (the proof of the pudding) 15

The Test Ø Ø Ø High number of installations In different countries Different partners At least 3 winters Integrate your findings To build commercial product 16

Where are those Whisper. Gens? B: Lab tests NL: 5 th year S: Several sites UK: 6 th year D: Many trials IR: large trial A: Trials CH: Trials SI: Test units FR: Large trials IT: Field trials P: Several sites ES: Trials 17

Future Tech: The Virtual Power Plant Testing the strength of the network with 48 Whisper. Gens 18

Future Tech: The Virtual Power Plant Testing the strength of the network with 48 Whisper. Gens Conclusions from the test with Whisper. Gens on the Grid: Ø The Network is SAFE ØThe Network is STABLE ØWhisper. Gen can be INSTALLED without any special changes 19

- Next steps – (toward a real micro. CHP market) 20

Next steps Ø Stop the “next year” syndrome, by starting production now Ø Work with industry to call for fair & open access to market – grid connection, gas efficiency standards Ø Fight unfair standards with aligned companies and governments 21

Next steps Ø The most important issue for micro. CHP is that governments understand its simplicity: – Our technology gives energy saving – Energy saving = carbon reduction Ø At all cost we – collectively – need to avoid overcomplicated calculations that do not work thermodynamically, and nobody understands Ø Whisper. Gen/EHE will continue to work with industry on collective standards and government support across Europe for a range of technologies 22

What can we learn from Alice in Wonderland? Ø “Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. Ø If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!” Alice takes advice from the Queen. . . 23

“So, what do you do, when you are ahead of the rest? ” 1. You look for confirmation in what you are doing by testing, testing 2. You work with fellow developers & future competitors to develop the market, fair standards And 3. You keep running as fast as you can, because there is nothing less certain than staying in front. 24