Ecomike, I looked into Capstone a few years back. In fact, I used to work with one of their first salesmen (on an unrelated job). I'm very interested and supportive of combined heat and power applications, and that's what their platform is all about. They use a micro gas turbine to provide a decentralized source of electrical power, and the system can also use the turbine exhaust for water heating and space heating. This can be a very efficient system where the fuel is inexpensive and the waste heat is put to full use. BTW, Capstone was founded in 1988, but they didn't get any traction with respect to sales until the late 1990's.
Unfortunately, even their small turbines have an output so high that they would not be suitable for anything less than a small industrial site. Also, each unit has a cost on the order of 100K to 150K as I recall. But under ideal conditions it could provide a pay back in a short period.
As far as comparing to Cyclone, I think these two companies are targeting different sectors. Capstone turbines provide CHP, but they require a refined fuel. Cyclone engines can also provide CHP, but they can use a refined fuel, an unrefined fuel, or waste heat. Also, note that Capstone collects waste heat from their turbine exhaust by heating water and/or making steam. The production of steam is inherent in the Cyclone engines, and this is one reason that Cyclone engines are ideal for CHP applications. And of course, the Cyclone engines scale down so well that they can be applied wherever small gas engines are used today.
Also, I'm confident in arguing that the exhaust from a Cyclone combustion chamber will be cleaner. But one argument in favor of Capstone would be that the reliability of a turbine would be tough for any piston engine to beat. If a refined fuel must be used and the waste heat put to full use, then a micro turbine is tough to beat in stationary CHP.
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