Power to the people

Just like the early days of the computer industry, when we had to learn a whole new language, terms like CHP and CCHP will soon become part of our vocabulary.

CHP (combined heat and power), also called cogeneration, is the production of electricity and the use of the heat produced in that process.

CCHP (Combined cooling heat an power), also called trigeneration, is the production of electricity and the use of heat and cooling from the same process.

The main advantage of distributed CHP systems is that the waste heat, normally uneconomic to use in centralised power plants, can be used for heating, thus increasing the total efficiency of the primary energy source - which is mainly natural gas. And this results in significant savings over conventional energy production in energy use and in greenhouse gas emissions.

Unless the primary energy source is renewable, the CHP systems are not renewable energy, but they may, in some cases, be the most energy efficient option, especially for cold climates to heat houses and apartment buildings.

CHP and CCHP may be done in very large systems, however, the real interest in Europe is the micro CHP and Micro CCHP systems for domestic use which are undergoing field trials in Europe and the UK, where there is existing infrastructure for supply of gas. But investors are wary, mainly due to uncertainties around the price of carbon, which could change the dynamic and make the investments uneconomic.

So the UK looks like going nuclear, when a simple and well tested option already exists, and could be implemented for a smaller investment.