NEW PARTNERSHIP PROMOTES ENERGY-SAVING ALTERNATIVE TO CONVENTIONAL ELECTRICITY GENERATION

Environmental News

FOR RELEASE: MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2001

NEW PARTNERSHIP PROMOTES ENERGY-SAVING ALTERNATIVE TO CONVENTIONAL ELECTRICITY GENERATION

As a follow-up to recommendations to promote the use of combined heat and power in President Bush's National Energy Policy Report, EPA joined with 17 Fortune 500 companies, city and state governments and nonprofits in Washington, D.C. today to announce the Combined Heat and Power Partnership, a more efficient, clean and reliable alternative to conventional electricity generation.

Combined heat and power (CHP), also known as cogeneration, is a highly efficient form of electric generation, which recycles and utilizes heat that is normally lost under traditional power combustion methods. CHP captures this leftover heat, providing a source of residential and industrial heating and air conditioning in the local area around a power plant.

"Combined Heat and Power, or 'cogeneration,' is not only better than conventional electricity generation at reducing air pollution and fuel consumption, it's more reliable and costs less to do so," said EPA Administrator Christie Whitman. "Founding partners in this program are leading the way toward a cleaner future."

At the kick-off event at EPA Headquarters today, partners in the program agreed to work with the Agency to develop and promote the benefits of new CHP projects. EPA will provide public recognition of projects and benefits to the company, public and the environment. EPA will also support accelerated development of new projects, through education, streamlined permitting and provision of technical tools and services.

In fact, CHP systems are already being used by the 17 founding partners: Abbott Laboratories, Archer Daniels Midland, Bethlehem Steel, Caterpillar Energy Products Group, Dow Chemical, ExxonMobil, General Motors, International Paper, Real Energy, Solar Turbines, Texaco Power and Gasification International, Trigen Energy, U.S. Steel, Verizon Communications and Weyerhaeuser, the College of New Jersey in Ewing, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Partnership also includes "endorsing" organizations: Gas Technology Institute, International District Energy Association, Midwest Application Center for CHP for Buildings, Midwest Cogeneration Association, Northeast-Midwest Institute, and the U.S. Combined Heat and Power Association. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority is also a partner.

These existing CHP projects of the founding partners represent more than 5,800 megawatts of power generating capacity, an amount capable of serving almost six million households (about the size of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area). The projects annually reduce the main global warming gas, carbon dioxide, by more than 8 million tons above what would achieved from traditional generation methods; in addition, the annual energy savings equal 19 million barrels of oil more than would be attained under conventional combustion.

Environmental Benefits of Cogeneration & Trigeneration Power Systems

Emissions associated with electric power can be attributed to the source - power generation - or to the "end-users." CHP systems help reduce emissions by increasing efficiency in the overall generation of electric power and energy usage, and by reducing transmission energy losses by moving the source of generation closer to the end-user.

Saving energy by utilizing heat that other would be rejected increases energy efficiency by reducing the need for the generation of electricity by central station plants. By increasing energy efficiency CHP helps prevent "greenhouse" gas emissions (CO2) and other forms of air pollution. Increasing energy efficiency is a smart practice that helps the economy, too, by saving consumers and businesses million of dollars in energy costs each year.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the key gas responsible for global warming concerns. The overwhelming share of U.S. and world CO2 emissions comes from burning fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and gas. Burning fossil fuel also causes emissions of other greenhouse gases as well, such as methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). The Department of Energy has several initiatives in collaboration with EPA that will help to increase efficiency by improving overall energy performance in commercial buildings, school systems, local governments, homes, transportation networks, electricity plants, and many other areas.

CHP systems offer great potential for improving the environment; it can lower CO2 greenhouse gases emissions by 45% or more. In the September 1997 Scenarios of U.S. Carbon Reductions, five DOE laboratories examined more than 200 technologies, and found that the application of three power generation technologies for CHP applications -advanced turbines, fuel cells, and integrated combined cycle technologies - accounted for nearly 10% of the projected carbon savings. The next generation of turbines, fuel cells, and reciprocating engines offers increased efficiency at reduced size and versatility in the ratio of electric or mechanical energy to thermal energy. These can be combined with advanced thermal recovery technologies for the highest possible overall total energy efficiency and lowest carbon emissions.

* A New Perspective on Energy

Integrated systems for cooling, heating and power (CHP) for buildings incorporate multiple technologies for providing energy services to a single building or to a campus of buildings. Electricity to such buildings is provided by on-site or near-site power generators using one or more of the many options: internal combustion (IC) engines, combustion turbines, miniturbines or microturbines, and fuel cells. In CHP systems, waste heat from power generation equipment is recovered for operating equipment for cooling, heating, or controlling humidity in buildings, by using absorption chillers, desiccant dehumidifiers, or heat recovery equipment for producing steam or hot water. These integrated systems are known by a variety of acronyms: CHP, CHPB (Cooling, Heating and Power for Buildings), CCHP (Combined Cooling Heating and Power), BCHP (Buildings Cooling, Heating and Power), Trigeneration and IES (Integrated Energy Systems). 

CHP systems provide many benefits, including:

reduced energy costs, 
improved power reliability, 
increased energy efficiency, and 
improved environmental quality. 

What is a CHP System?

A CHP System is an efficient, environmentally-friendly "cogeneration" system that provides power (electricity) and energy (hot water and/or steam) at the location the power and energy are needed also known as "distributed generation." Cogeneration systems are at least two times more efficient than typical power plants which average about 27% - 35% efficiency - meaning 65% to 73% of the energy is wasted. 

What is a CHP System with Absorption Chillers or "Trigeneration"? 

Even more efficient than a standard CHP system is a CHP system that incorporates absorption chillers, which is  then a "trigeneration" system, also referred to as an "Integrated Energy System" or "Cooling, Heating and Power."  Trigeneration systems can be up to 50% more efficient than cogeneration systems and many average about 90% or more efficiency.  Absorption chillers recover the additional waste heat from CHP Systems to make chilled water for air-conditioning, thereby providing the building or facility's electricity, hot water/steam and air conditioning.

What is an Energy Management System?

Energy Management Systems are a computer-controlled system used by operators of electric utilities to monitor the real-time performance of the various elements of an electric system and to control generation and transmission facilities 

For more information on CHP Systems; Absorption Chillers; Trigeneration; Cooling, Heating & Power; Buildings Cooling, Heating and Power; Distributed Generation; Onsite Energy/Power Systems or Energy Management Systems  for your commercial or industrial buildings call us at: 281-955-7343 or 832-758-0027

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