Commission reviews outreach on home-scale cogeneration system; vendor seeking pilot customers

Commissioners heard an update on outreach from Axiom Energy, a company that markets single-cylinder cogeneration systems for homes and buildings with significant thermal and electric loads.

Commissioner Mike Collins summarized the technology and recent outreach: the system uses propane or natural gas to generate electricity while capturing waste heat for domestic hot water or pool heating. Collins said the system can improve combined energy efficiency and reduce net bills for high-thermal-demand properties.

"The most viable low-hanging fruit on these things are large homes, large power needs, [and] thermal needs such as a heated pool," Collins said. He added that Axiom’s representative, James Green, had held a public presentation at the library and had followed up with residents who expressed interest.

Commissioners said the company needs on-site appointments to determine whether the system is cost-effective at particular addresses; Axiom and commissioners identified residential properties with large thermal loads and certain commercial buildings as the primary targets. Commissioners offered to help connect the vendor with facility managers — including for a local health-care facility being renovated — where a larger cogeneration installation might be viable.

The commission emphasized that any introductions to vendors should preserve the commission’s independence and that the vendor would not install systems where the economics do not fit. Commissioners said outreach will continue and that the commission can help publicize vendor events and facilitate neutral on-site assessments by the vendor’s engineers.

Ending: No procurement or financial commitment was made by the town; the item remains an outreach and information-sharing matter as commissioners seek a lead adopter to test the technology in New Canaan.