Who doesn’t like to "buy one, get one free?" If your business facility has a significant need for hot water year-round, you may be able to generate reliable, affordable electricity virtually for free with the same therm you are using to heat your hot water. If it is right for your facility, combined heat and power generation (CHP) could be the next big step in your smart energy management plan.
CHP is a technology where an engine is used to make electricity and waste heat is put to work in your building. As the engine works to make electricity, it creates heat (just like in your car). Water is circulated around the engine to cool it... but instead of the heat going out as waste, you can reuse it to heat hot water for space heating, laundries, pools, hot water in food processing facilities …basically wherever there is a year round need for hot water.
The best applications for combined heat and power generation systems are in facilities that have consistent electrical and thermal needs, including: hospitals, nursing homes, colleges, schools, recreational facilities, government buildings, large residential facilities, industrial facilities, hotels, and ice rinks.
Not sure if combined heat and power is the right solution for your business?
Review the following checklist to see if CHP would be a good fit for you:
- Over 120 rooms or units using significant amounts of hot water for space heat, domestic needs, heating swimming pools, on-site laundry or industrial processes
- Natural gas is available on-site with usage greater than 4,000 therms each month
- Automatically repower the cooling system every 1 to 3 hours, independent of sales
- Domestic hot water is supplied from a central boiler plant
- Space heating is supplied from a central plant with hydronic distribution
- There is a Process hot water requirement (industrial option only)
- The average electricity rate from all suppliers greater than $0.10 per kWh
Want to learn more?
Contact National Grid at:
1-800-787-1706,
efficiency@nationalgrid.com or
Request Free Assessment