Benefits of Cogeneration

CHP Cogeneration units have a wide range of benefits that it can offer to their owners and end users. Cogeneration offers Environmental, Operational and Financial benefits. Some of the benefits of placing a CHP Cogeneration system in your establishment are:

Environmental:

• Reduces dependency on fossil fuel, as over 50% of Alberta’s electricity is created by burning coal;
• Reduces the amount of greenhouse emissions, specifically Carbon Dioxide. As well as SOX emissions with the use of natural gas as fuel;
• Reduces primary energy use, therefore lowering costs;
• Reduces transmission losses that result from a centralized system;
• Reduce own carbon footprint;

Operational:

• The production of electricity and heating simultaneously, improving the efficiency of the system;
• Provides reliable on-site power production and base load electrical supply;
• Serve an on-site standby generator should the electricity grid fail;
• Should the heat supply to the establishment’s system fail in any way, the CHP Cogeneration unit serves as a boiler supplying the base load requirements of the building;
• Provides the option of an absorption chiller that can cool the building. Thus making creating a “Trigeneration” system;

Financial:

• Reduce your primary energy costs by 20% or more;
• Creates consistency in electricity costs;
•  Flexible financing options allows for lower up-front capital investment;
• Reduces investment in other equipment that is part of the CHP unit, e.g. boilers, cooling systems etc;

Other Benefits:

Following the recent trends in the price of energy, consumers of electricity and heat will see an increase in their spending on the consumption of energy.

• Points towards recognition by national organizations such as LEEDS and BOMA BESt.
• LEED certified buildings can potentially use 18%-39% less energy than conventionally powered buildings. Again reducing the cost spent on energy.

CHP Cogeneration units generate consistent long-term benefits to the environment, save money and improve the overall efficiency of the mechanical systems.