Distributed energy production offers many advantages

In this interview with Daniel Dillier, President of the Board of the IWK company, the aims of the Swiss electricity business to build new nuclear power stations and the Swiss Government's proposals for the building of gas-steam combined cycle power plants are discussed. Dillier, in contrast, favours the construction of distributed combined heat and power (CHP) units. Dillier voices his opinions on this subject and stresses the advantages of distributed systems that combine the production of heat and electrical power. These systems can use renewable resources and provide a higher degree of system reliability and availability. A further topic discussed is that of carbon dioxide emissions, which Dillier notes as being 40 percent less than for conventional systems. The potential for the use of decentralised CHP units in Switzerland is examined