Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Technology | Systems
Combined Heat and Power (CHP)
Learn more about our energy efficient cogeneration systems and how your business can save on costs while utilizing sustainable power. Connect with a Cat® CHP expert.
What is CHP?
CHP is energy efficient technology that generates electric power and captures the heat that would otherwise be wasted to provide useful thermal energy—such as steam or hot water that can be used for space heating, cooling, domestic hot water and industrial processes.
Lower Operating Costs and Lower Emissions with Cogeneration.
Cat gas generator sets can simultaneously provide electricity for electrical loads and heat energy for a facility's thermal requirements. Any Cat natural gas-fuelled engine can be configured specifically for applications involving heat recovery.
Where grid electricity and natural gas boilers often provide less than 50 percent efficiency, Cat® Combined Heat and Power (CHP) projects offer additional benefits:
- Energy efficiency up to 90 percent
- Cheaper relative to separate heat and electrical generation systems
- Lower emissions than separate heat and electrical generation systems
- Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification available via energy efficiency credits
How does Cogeneration Increase efficiency?
Nearly two-thirds of the energy used by conventional electricity generation is wasted in the form of heat discharged to the atmosphere. Additional energy is wasted during the distribution of electricity to end users. By capturing and using heat that would otherwise be wasted, and by avoiding distribution losses, CHP can achieve efficiencies of over 80 percent, compared to 50 percent for typical technologies (i.e., conventional electricity generation and an on-site boiler).
CHP is more efficient than traditional electrical and heating methods.
it saves on heating and electricity costs, and it releases
less harmful greenhouse gas emissions into the environment.
Most Common Combined Heat and Power Systems and Technology
- Combustion turbine or reciprocating engine CHP systems – burn fuel (natural gas, oil, or biogas) to turn generators to produce electricity and use heat recovery devices to capture the heat from the turbine or engine. This heat is converted into useful thermal energy, usually in the form of steam or hot water.
- Steam boiler with steam turbines – the process begins by producing steam in a boiler. The steam is then used to turn a turbine to run a generator to produce electricity. The steam leaving the turbine can be used to produce useful thermal energy. These systems can use a variety of fuels, such as natural gas, oil, biomass, and coal.
CHP is used in over 4,400 large buildings and facilities nationwide, including:
- Commercial buildings – office buildings, hotels, health clubs, nursing homes
- Residential – condominiums, co-ops, apartments, planned communities
- Institutions – colleges and universities, hospitals, prisons, military bases
- Municipal – district energy systems, wastewater treatment facilities, K-12 schools
- Manufacturers – chemical, refining, ethanol, pulp and paper, food processing, glass manufacturing
