Cogeneration (Combined Heat and Power –CHP), is the concurrent production of electricity or mechanical power and useful thermal energy (heating and/or cooling) from a single source of energy. This ensures exploiting the heat produced that would otherwise go to waste with a traditional energy production plant.
Cogeneration is a very energy efficient solution: this technology’s advantages con be seen both on economic and environmental level: decreasing the amount of primary energy for a better overall performance and a remarkable reduction of CO2 emission.
Trigeneration or Combined Cooling, Heat and Power (CCHP) refers to the simultaneous generation of electricity and useful heating and cooling from the combustion of a fuel or a solar heat collector. This can be employed in many different circumstances ranging from industrial to civil sectors; thermal energy (steam, warm water, warm air) can be used for home heating while electricity is used locally or sent to the grid.
Applications in which cogeneration can represent an excellent technological solution range from industrial to civil; thermal energy (steam, hot / heated water or hot air) can be used for urban heating through district heating networks. Electricity is consumed on site or exported to the distribution network.
Energy Team offers meters and instruments to monitor cogeneration/trigeneration plants (input and output) for performance control over time, this is crucial to keep the process efficient and intervene on possible inefficiencies that might occur.
