Clean Heat and Power Systems

Thermal Energy Recovery:
Approximately 67% of the energy used to generate electricity at central station power plants is rejected as waste heat into the environment or lost during transmission and distribution to the end-use facility.  Consequently, central power plants have an efficiency of just about 33% when measuring the amount of fuel (energy) that is required to produce electricity.  When producing electricity on-site with a clean heat and power (CHP) system, engine waste heat can be utilized as a fuel source in generating comfort cooling or heating; processing chilled water for industrial application; or generating domestic hot water for laundries, showers and others uses.  There are multiple commercial and industrial applications for the waste heat in which the “thermal energy” is free.  Consequently, CHP efficiency can reach as high as 80% versus electric grid generated power at just 33%.

Environmental:
Scientific studies have found power plants to be responsible for two-thirds of the U.S.'s annual sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions, one-quarter of the nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, one-third of the mercury (Hg) emissions, and one-third of the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, a leading greenhouse gas.  The installation of CHP systems, in which the engine waste heat is used as the fuel source to support a variety of space and water conditioning applications, can significantly reduce demand for electricity, which subsequently reduces emission levels for CO2, NOx and SO2.  

Economic:
For commercial or industrial facilities with thermal energy requirements (comfort cooling, heating, process chilled water or domestic hot water), CHP offers the opportunity to reduce monthly utility expenses.  Additionally, depending upon the market price variance between the cost of electricity and natural gas, it may be more cost justifiable to generate electrically on-site with a natural gas fueled engine.  The primary reason most CHP systems are purchased and installed is to save money.  The “free” thermal energy can provide attractive payments of less than 5 years and a high net present value (NPV) over the useful life of the CHP asset.  

Reliability:
Many commercial and industrial facilities cannot afford to be without power – for any amount of time.  Hospitals, airports, key government facilities, mission critical facilities and many industries either are required by law to maintain operation during disasters or power outages or simply cannot afford the economic cost of being without power for a sustained period of time.  

LEED Qualification:
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is an emerging factor in the U.S. and global construction markets.  LEED is a nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.  LEED offers building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their building’s performance.  LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health; sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

CHP systems, when included in the design of new and retrofit projects, can have a substantial impact on a facility’s LEED rating.  The energy efficiency benefits derived from CHP are taken into consideration by architects, real estate professionals, facility managers, engineers, construction managers and lenders – essentially the entire professional community with a stake in either a building’s environmental sustainability or financial feasibility.

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