Osaka Gas Co. Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan), Toho Gas Co. (Nagoya, Japan) and Saibu Gas Co. (Fukuoka, Japan) announced that they will begin selling a home electricity and heat generation system in business areas by March 2003. It will be the first time a cogeneration system is made available for households, though it is already being used by companies.
The cogeneration systems involve a gas engine that produces electricity and helps heat air and water. It is priced at Y750,000 and is available for single-family houses. The system uses exhaust heat from the engine to heat water and air in separate cycles for bath water, kitchen use and room heating. The system can provide most of the heat and about 40 percent of the power needed in an average house, helping save Y20,000 to Y40,000 a year in energy costs, according to officials of the three utilities.
Osaka Gas aims to sell 2,000 units in the first year, while Toho Gas plans to sell several hundred. Saibu Gas hopes to sell about 100 units in the first year of sales.
