Honda's environmental focus goes beyond transportation and into the home. Honda's Home Energy Group was established to bring environmentally responsible products to the residential market.

Today Honda's Home Energy focus is on Micro Combined Heat and Power technology (MCHP). The MCHP can reduce both your utility bills and your impact on the environment - all while providing electrical power and a reliable source of heat.

What is the MCHP?

The Honda MCHP is a heat transfer and power generation appliance.  It uses a process called cogeneration to simultaneously produce both heat and power from a single fuel source.   As a result, the MCHP makes far more efficient use of energy and resources than a typical heating system.

In a typical residential application, the MCHP is combined with a specially designed heating system, like the freewatt® by ECR International.         

In this application, the Honda MCHP offers several benefits, including:

• 30%  reduction of greenhouse gases
• Up to 50% savings on your electrical bill
• Reliable, steady, quiet, comfortable heat
• Backup power for your home (MCHP Deluxe)

Two different models are currently available:

• The standard MCHP produces 1.2 kw of electricity and 3.46kw of heat (12,000 BTU's). This is enough to provide most of the power and heat needed in your home.   This model operates on natural gas only.
• The MCHP Deluxe has the added feature of a back-up power source.  This model provides up to 1.8kw of back up power to your home in the event of a power outage.  The MCHP Deluxe operates on either natural gas or propane.

Both models of the MCHP are certified to UL specifications.

How does the MCHP work?

Inside the MCHP you'll find an advanced Honda generator, powered by a durable Honda engine with extended maintenance intervals.  The generator produces electricity to power your home.

The MCHP's engine produces heat as a by-product.  This heat is transferred to a specific designed device, such as a freewatt  furnace or boiler system.  The heat is then used to heat your home.

In a typical freewatt  installation, the MCHP module has provided as much as 75 percent of a home's heating demand, plus enough electricity to power lights, small appliances and security systems.

In those areas where “net metering” is in place, excess electricity can be sold back to the local power company, reducing your utility costs even more.

A reliable, proven technology
Large cogeneration systems have been in use for many years.  These systems generate electricity and heat for commercial or industrial buildings, hospitals, and large apartment complexes.  But these systems are too large and too expensive for residential home applications.

The Honda MCHP uses the same principles in a much smaller footprint.  The MCHP module only requires a small space adjacent to a regular furnace.  The system connects to the home's existing ductwork and electrical system.

The Honda MCHP has been used in Japan for over 5 years with over 80,000 installations. 

More information

The freewatt  system featuring the Honda MCHP is available for sale through ECR International, primarily in the Northeast United States.   
ECR is a full-service provider of freewatt  systems and can provide dealer and distributor information. More information is available at 877-386-5475 or www.freewatt.com or www.ecrinternational.com.

Honda's environmental leadership

Honda's environmental work is based on the efforts to advance clean and efficient technologies while continuing to develop and improve emerging technologies and alternative sources of fuel.

We invite you to learn more about Honda's environmental efforts here.