Aug 14, 2024
Discover how many organizations are improving energy resilience and inefficiencies of traditional power generation through Combined Heat & Power.
Author: Lake Lund, Business Development Manager at Commonwealth Associates
Discover how Commonwealth Associates provides expert engineering and consultative services that enable a more reliable and resilient power system.
In recent years, we’ve witnessed aging infrastructure, advancements in AI, and a crucial shift toward renewable energy sources all contributing to a less reliable transmission system and a significant increase in energy prices.
These challenges are motivating power producers to prioritize resilience, seeking solutions that ensure reliable power while maintaining efficiency and reducing costs. Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems are a solution at the forefront of this movement, generating both electricity and thermal energy (heat) from a single on-site fuel source.
The key advantage driving the adoption of CHP systems is their unmatched reliability. On-site energy production allows for less reliance on an aging and increasingly fragile transmission system. Moreover, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), CHP systems can achieve total system efficiencies of 65% - 80%, significantly higher than the average 50% efficiency of conventional power generation.
Additionally, the capture and reuse of thermal energy reduces carbon emissions by close to 50%. CHP provides immediate economic and environmental benefits compared to traditional power plants
What is CHP?
CHP, also known as cogeneration, allows production of electricity and useful heat from the same energy source, simultaneously. While traditional power plants waste an abundant amount of heat during electricity generation, a CHP plant captures, repurposes, and utilizes this heat for other needs, such as HVAC or water heating.
Imagine this scenario: You light a fire in your fireplace to keep your living room warm on a chilly night. Typically, the fireplace would provide warmth only to one room. Now imagine repurposing the heat that would escape through a chimney to warm water for your shower, warm air to dry your clothes, or power a small generator to charge your phone. This small scale, real-life example highlights the fundamental idea of CHP, which is to not waste energy.
Who We Serve
CHP systems can be very adaptable and are deployed across various sectors, making them a strategic choice for organizations seeking to enhance resilience with on-site power generation.
- Government: Municipalities can use CHP to generate on-site energy for public buildings, water treatment facilities, and district heating networks, reducing reliance on vulnerable grid systems, and enhancing energy security.
- Education & Healthcare: Universities and hospitals benefit from CHP by ensuring a dependable supply of power, critical for maintaining essential operations without depending on aging transmission and distribution networks.
- Industrial: Manufacturing plants and industrial facilities can improve operational reliability by generating power on-site and repurposing waste heat, minimizing disruptions associated with outages or severe weather events.
- Renewables: CHP systems can be integrated with renewable energy sources like solar and wind, providing a consistent and resilient power supply when the renewable source is not generating, or maintenance is needed.
A Tailored Approach
Commonwealth’s power generation team excels in designing, supporting construction, permitting, and interconnecting CHP systems. Our experience ranges from small-scale 500 kW setups to utility level generation and steam supply networks.
We specialize in crafting customized solutions that align with the unique needs of each client. What truly distinguishes our approach is our dedication to thoroughly understanding your project’s requirements from conception through construction.
Our proactive planning and design process is meticulously tailored to navigate the complexities of existing infrastructure and land availability. By identifying long lead items early and incorporating constructability into the design phase, we lessen construction timelines and potential disruptions, minimize costs.
With decades of experience, our team conducts detailed site evaluations to address the specific nuances of each project. We provide comprehensive feasibility studies to determine the most effective size and configuration for your CHP system, ensuring it meets current and future energy needs.
Interested in learning more about how CHP can be integrated into your energy project?
Join us for our upcoming webinar Planning Your CHP Arrangement: General Considerations for Combined Heating and Power (1 PDH), August 22, 2024 at 12PM EST. Our experts will share insights, discuss real-world CHP planning applications, and answer your CHP questions.
This is your chance to stay ahead of the curve in the energy sector. Don't miss out! Registration is free and attending counts towards 1 Professional Development Hour.
If you have any questions or need more information, please feel free to contact us. We're here to help you navigate the future of energy.
About the author: Lake Lund is a regular article contributor and Business Development Manager for Commonwealth. He serves emerging energy sectors for Commonwealth out of Dallas, TX. Follow Lake today for his takes and updates on the energy industry.
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