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On Tuesday June 23, Alliance to Save Energy hosted “Combined Heat and Power – Capturing Unrealized Potential,” a briefing discussing the capabilities of widespread combined heat and power (CHP) deployment relative to energy generation, job creation, energy efficiency, national security and environmental performance. Moderated by the Alliance’s Executive Vice President for Programs Brian Castelli, the event featured valuable private-sector perspectives from Patrick Barrett, Caterpillar’s manager of Distributed Generation for North America, and Sean Casten, president and CEO of Recycled Energy Development.
Tuesday’s message was clear; regardless of agenda, the current trajectory of U.S. energy consumption is simply unsustainable. To address a growing energy demand coupled with climate concerns, the U.S. is faced with a difficult set of challenges. The speakers offered their take on CHP’s key role in the transition away from carbon-intensive energy production—squeezing more useful energy out of fossil fuel inputs than conventional power generation.
Successful CHP applications have enhanced distributed electricity generation to over 80 percent efficient. In comparison, the average utility provides electricity at a generation efficiency of approximately 34 percent. Confronted with rising energy costs, prospective GHG regulation, and formidable foreign competition, CHP is a particularly attractive efficiency solution in the industrial sector. Efficient CHP in concert with recapture of waste thermal energy have significant potential to reduce energy demand requirements, limit greenhouse gas emissions, and significantly decrease energy intensity in U.S. manufacturing. CHP is a technology suite that is proven, readily available, and easily integrated with current infrastructure, able to contribute to quantifiable energy efficiency gains immediately. In fact, CHP currently provides over 30 percent of the power generated in several European countries compared to around 8 percent in the U.S. By supporting CHP deployment and reshaping energy regulation to encourage large-scale supply-side energy efficiency projects, the U.S. can greatly improve its power generation efficiency while providing energy solutions for industry, institutions, and municipalities.
Tuesday’s program was the first in a series of briefings to take place over the next 18 months. The Alliance to Save Energy, with support from Department of Energy’s Industrial Technologies Program, will be hosting Efficient Enterprises: Powering American Industry, highlighting specific opportunities to enhance energy efficiency in the U.S. industrial sector. This seminar series will emphasize energy efficiency as a key issue underpinning the revitalization of the American economy while easing environmental impacts resulting from industrial operations. Upcoming briefings will be announced as they are scheduled.
Please contact Paul Bostrom (Pbostrom@ase.org) for general information or to inquire about speaking opportunities.
Moderator:
Brian Castelli, Alliance to Save Energy
www.ase.org
Presenters:
Resources:
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