Source: michelgauchermexico.com
Published: January 17, 2016
There has been a lot of talk about cogeneration over the past three decades. It is a growing trend today concerning energy generation. In fact, it has gained popularity around the world with a number of first-world countries having implemented it in one way or another. Australia is one of the countries leading in this kind of energy production, and is far ahead of countries such as Mexico. Cogeneration is also known as CHP (Combined Heat and Power).
What is cogeneration?
At the most basic level, cogeneration is the production of heat and electricity simultaneously. Both of these products are used. The central principle of this activity is that in order to make the most of the benefits that arise from it, all systems should be based on the heat demand of the application. This could be an industrial factory, an individual building or even a town that receives services from district heat/cooling. When the heat is utilized, the efficiency of the cogeneration plant is increased substantially.
Advantages of cogeneration to environment
There is an increase in efficiency when dealing with energy conversion and use. Cogeneration is undeniably the most effective as well as efficient way of generating power. There is more power being generated while using energy more efficiently. This is healthy for the environment. Considering that conventional power stations will employ fossil fuel to do the power generation, it helps the environment a lot if the energy production is efficient.
A lowered carbon dioxide emission level is also going to be advantageous to the environment. Since the Kyoto Protocol was formulated, cogeneration is by far the biggest solution to the objectives that were set in Kyoto. Reducing carbon dioxide emission helps to alleviate global warming.
These are the two major benefits of cogeneration to the environment. Of course there is the issue of saving the ozone layer, which keeps organisms on the surface of the earth safe from the destruction caused by ultraviolet rays from the sun. Cogeneration, when implemented, will liberate the energy market and at the same time ensure energy security and sustainability of the planet.