Forest Biomass: What is cogeneration?
Cogeneration is an electrical energy generation technology which uses the combined production of electricity and useful heat from a single fuel source. Also referred to as combined heat and power (CHP), cogeneration facilities use significantly less fuel to produce electricity and thermal energy than would be need to produce these products separately. The Chapleau cogeneration plant, located on the Tembec sawmill site, burns mill residues along with residues trucked in from other wood-processing operations within the region. The plant’s combustion system produces steam for a 7.2 MW turbine, heating all of the mill’s buildings and providing the steam for the lumber kilns. In addition to providing steam for heat, the system produces electricity that is sold to the provincial grid. The Ontario MNR Forest Sector Competitiveness Secretariat and Ontario forest industries are investigating co-generation opportunities to help reduce the forest industries’ electrical demand from the grid and to
