Who should consider CHP?

Any commercial and industrial facility with both a large electrical load and thermal load (hot water or steam), that lasts for at least 16 hours per day, 5 days per week. By large electrical load, we mean the average demand is between 200 KWH/hour and 10,000 KWH/Hour. A large thermal load is indicated by your facility using 6000 therms to 200,000 therms per month to heat water or to make steam.

What are CHP economics like?

The important consideration beyond simple payback is the USA’s new found surplus of natural gas. When one considers the value of the recovered heat and the surplus of natural gas, it is easy to see that the cost of cogeneration electricity is significantly cheaper than utility electricity.

Cogeneration rebate has returned to California making a simple payback between 30-48 months

In the United States we now have an abundance of natural gas resulting in all time low gas prices. By having a cogeneration systems one gains access to the low electric generation gas tariff.

Electricity prices continue to rise increasing the costs of your electric bill. The rebates and the tax incentives currently offered make it an easier economic decision that would significantly reduce your energy costs.

The waste heat that is recovered from your cogeneration system displaces the more expensive gas that would have gone to your boiler; or the waste heat can be used to "power" an adsorption chiller to give your facility inexpensive cooling.

The state and federal government are basically subsidizing companies to install cogeneration and with generous rebates and tax incentives offered.

What are the technologies that one can use for cogeneration?

If one wants to have a system of 1000 KW or less, one should give micro-turbines a good look. If the requirement is larger, then one can capitalize on the extremely high efficiencies of the new internal combustion engines.

What are some of the other considerations when buying a CHP system?

One should look at the temperature of his thermal load and whether or not it is steam or hot water. If it is steam, and the electrical load is at least 600 KW, probably the best solution is to use an internal combustion engine and use the exhaust to make steam and use the jacket water to pre-heat boiler make-up water. If you have a hot water requirement and the water temperature required is 170F or less, you should look closely at a micro-turbine.

Why Look at Electro Thermal Equipment Corporation?

We have over thirty years engineering supplying and installing Cogeneration systems. We bring to the table the ability not just to install new systems, but have had multiple successes locating new surplus engines that qualify under the Cogeneration rebate. This can mean significantly reduced capital costs for your cogeneration system saving your company significant dollars.