COGENERATION

Cogeneration is a power generation process that provides two useful outputs, namely power and heat. Cogeneration can generally be described as distributed generation as it is generally located near to the end user.

Distributed generation is power generation that is located close to where it is consumed and can supply electricity on-site, over-the-fence and also export electricity into the local grid. It is also referred to as decentralized, distributed, embedded or localized. It includes cogeneration as well as other electricity generation processes that do not recover waste heat such as wind, solar and biomass.

In the past we have been used to thinking of electricity production based on large-scale power stations that are usually remote from electricity consumers requiring long-distance, high-voltage transmission networks. This is often referred to as a centralized system.

Increasingly accessible technological developments have introduced a whole range of much smaller-scale generation systems into the energy market. These include engines, turbines, fuel cells and photovoltaics that are generally known as decentralized, distributed, embedded or localized systems as they can produce electricity near to the consumer or in their house, office or factory, and can provide support to electricity networks.

The advantages of these systems are that they are more environmentally friendly, flexible, efficient and cost-effective than traditional centralized systems – more so when network costs and losses are taken into account.

The term renewables generation refers to power produced from non-hydrocarbon, natural resources such as hydro, wind, solar and tidal. It also includes power generated by the use of waste products such as sewage and methane from landfill gas sites.

Renewable generation projects tend to be distributed and connected to local distribution networks. Some incorporate cogeneration technology - this combination not only produces no net greenhouse gas emissions, but is also highly energy efficient as waste heat is harnessed and used.

The cogeneration process provides greater conversion efficiencies than traditional generation methods as it harnesses heat that would otherwise be wasted in the fuel combustion process. This can double efficiency and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by over two-thirds. The heat can be converted into a number of applications such as steam, hot water and cooling.

Large and small applications provide heat and power, usually in the form of steam and electricity, for use in mineral processing; the manufacture of pulp and paper, petrochemicals, food and textiles; as well as hospitals, office complexes and swimming pools.

A range of fuels can be used for cogeneration including solid and gas fossil fuels, renewables such as methane gas from landfill sites, biomass like sugar cane pulp and even waste refuse.

A key growth area is the use of waste products, such as using cane residue (bagasse) in the sugar industry, sludge gas from sewerage treatment plants and methane from landfill sites.

Cogeneration systems can be as small as a 3 kWe micro-cogeneration plant, or larger than a 450 MW industrial on-site system.

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