What is Combined Heat & Power (CHP)?
Combined Heat and Power (CHP) or Cogeneration is the simultaneous generation of both heat and electricity from a single unit of fuel. Normally CHP plants are installed on the site consuming the thermal and electrical energy however, larger scale plants also exist. These may be used to provide heat into a district heating network and electricity into the national grid. CHP is widely seen as low carbon technology as it is a very efficient mean of generation. In fact CHP is supported by a number of fiscal measures both in the UK and overseas. Various technologies of CHP exist that provide output capacities from just a few kilowatts to hundreds of megawatts. Technologies include sterling engines, gas reciprocating engines, gas and steam turbines. Fuels include natural gas and fuel oil but, other fuels such as biomass, municipal waste and bio-diesel are also now available. As CHP tends to generate more thermal energy than electricity applications for CHP are generally found in buildings wit
