Combined Heat and Power

Thermal Energy Corporation's 48 MW CHP system serves the world's largest medical campus. Photo credit: Texas Medical Center Central Heating and Cooling Services Company

Combined heat and power (CHP)—sometimes called cogeneration—is an integrated set of technologies for the simultaneous, on-site production of electricity and heat. R&D breakthroughs can help U.S. manufacturers introduce advanced technologies and systems to users in the United States and around the world.

CHP and distributed energy systems improve energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, optimize fuel flexibility, lower company operating costs, and facilitate market opportunities for the CHP share of U.S. electricity generating capacity.

The CHP R&D project portfolio tests, validates, and deploys innovative CHP and distributed energy for industry and other manufacturing applications. Our projects include advanced reciprocating engine systems (ARES), packaged CHP systems, high-value applications, fuel-flexible CHP, and demonstrations of these technologies. View our current projects:

Advanced Reciprocating Engine Systems (ARES): An advanced natural gas engine/generator system can increase brake thermal efficiency, reduce NOx emissions, and decrease maintenance costs, while maintaining cost competitiveness.
- Advanced Natural Gas Reciprocating Engines (ARES) - Caterpillar
- Advanced Natural Gas Reciprocating Engines (ARES) - Cummins
- Advanced Reciprocating Engine R&D - Argonne National Laboratory
- Advanced Reciprocating Engine Systems (ARES)
  
  Descriptions are provided for each CHP R&D project.
Packaged CHP Systems: The development of packaged CHP systems suitable for smaller industrial facilities can enable users to avoid complicated and costly system integration and installation but still maximize performance and increase efficiency.
- Combined Heat and Power Integrated with Burners for Packaged Boilers
- Flexible CHP System with Low NOx, CO, and VOC Emissions
- High Efficiency Microturbine with Integral Heat Recovery
- Low-Cost Packaged Combined Heat and Power System with Reduced Emissions
  
  Descriptions are provided for each CHP R&D project.
High-Value Applications: New high-value CHP technologies and applications can offer attractive end-user economics, significant energy savings, and with reproducible results.
- Flexible Distributed Energy and Water from Waste for the Food and Beverage Industry
- Microchannel High-Temperature Recuperator for Fuel Cell Systems*
- Novel Controls for Economic Dispatch of Combined Cooling, Heating and Power (CCHP) Systems*
- Residential Multi-Function Gas Heat Pump
- Ultra Efficient Combined Heat, Hydrogen, and Power System
  
  *(Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009)
  Descriptions are provided for each CHP R&D project.
Fuel-Flexible CHP: Accelerating market adoption of emerging technology and fuel options can improve industry competitiveness through more stable energy prices, cost savings, and decreased emissions. Examples of these technology and fuel options include a biomass gasifiers, gas turbines utilizing opportunity fuels, landfill gas cleanup and removal systems, and desulfurization sorbents for fuel cell CHP.
- Adapting On-site Electrical Generation Platforms for Producer Gas
- Development of an Advanced Combined Heat and Power (CHP) System Utilizing Off-Gas from Coke Calcination
- Development of Fuel-Flexible Combustion Systems Utilizing Opportunity Fuels in Gas Turbines*
- Integrated Combined Heat and Power/Advanced Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engine System for Landfill Gas to Power Applications
- Fuel-Flexible Microturbine and Gasifier System for Combined Heat and Power
- Low-NOx Gas Turbine Injectors Utilizing Hydrogen-Rich Opportunity Fuels
- Novel Sorbent to Clean Biogas for Fuel Cell Combined Heat and Power
  
  *(Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009)
  Descriptions are provided for each CHP R&D project.
Demonstrations: The installation of innovative technologies and applications that offer the greatest potential for replication can provide compelling data and information to foster market uptake in manufacturing and other applications.
- ArcelorMittal USA Blast Furnace Gas Flare Capture*
- BroadRock Renewables Combined Cycle Electric Generating Plants Fueled by Waste Landfill Gas*
  - Case study
- Combustion Turbine CHP System for Food Processing Industry
- Texas A&M University CHP System*
  - Case study
- Thermal Energy Corporation Combined Heat and Power Project*
  - Case study
  *(Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009)
  Descriptions are provided for each CHP R&D project.

View our waste energy recovery projects.

Learn more about Industrial Distributed Energy and CHP, including basics, benefits, and
technical assistance activities to help deploy technologies.