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The effects of applying combined heat and power systems, based on Stirling engines and fuel cells, to single UK dwellings are investigated by using heat and power demand data recorded on a 1-min time base across a full year. The control regime has a major influence upon economic and CO₂ savings for Stirling engine systems due to their high heat–power ratio. For the considered home, the contributions made by a 1kW_e Stirling engine system to the daily demands for heat and power ranged from 54% to 100% and from 3% to 73% respectively. Future systems based on fuel cells are predicted to achieve greater savings, because they can operate for relatively long periods during mild and warm weather without generating surplus heat. Estimates of the annual savings amount to £90/574kgCO₂ for a 1kW Stirling engine system and £142/892kgCO₂ for a prospective 1kW fuel cell system, when compared to a non …