COMBINED HEATING & POWER - CHP

Combined Heat and Power

CHP also known as cogeneration, produces both electricity and thermal energy on-site, replacing or supplementing electricity provided from a local utility and fuel burned in an on-site boiler or furnace.

CHP systems increase energy security by producing energy at the point of use, and significantly improve energy efficiency.

The efficiency benefit that a typical CHP system achieves compared to the use of grid electricity and the production of steam or hot water with an on-site boiler.

When electricity and thermal energy are provided separately, overall energy efficiency ranges from 45–55%. While efficien- cies vary for CHP installations based on site-specific param- eters, a properly designed CHP system will typically operate with an overall efficiency of 65–85%.

CHP User Benefits

Decreased energy costs

Enhanced energy resiliency

Reduced risk from uncertain energy prices

Increased economic competitiveness

US EPA

United States Environmental Protection Agency

 The Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Energy and Emissions Savings Calculator is a Microsoft Excel-based tool that calculates and compares the estimated fuel consumption and air pollutant emissions (CO2e, SO2 and NOX) of a CHP system and comparable separate heat and power system (SHP) (e.g., grid power and a boiler system). The calculator also presents the carbon emissions reductions from a CHP system in terms of the emissions associated with passenger vehicles and the generation of electricity used by the average U.S. home.

The calculator uses fuel-specific emissions factors developed by EPA, and grid emissions factors and region-specific transmission and distribution (T&D) loss data from the Emissions & Generation Resource Integrated Database (eGRID).

Please click on link below to go to the EPA CHP Energy and Emissions Savings Calculator