Decentralised energy systems: state of the art and potentials

The increasing liberalisation of the energy market as well as the ecological and business environment of public heat and power supply are leading to a re-evaluation of established and innovative energy conversion systems. A more efficient usage of fossil and regenerative primary energy resources is to be achieved by decentralised systems providing combined heat and electrical power. This paper discusses the potentials and challenges of today's and future energy conversion systems. (author)