Page 53 - European Energy Innovation - Spring 2016 publication

Spring 2016 European Energy Innovation 53

COMBINED HEAT AND POWER

Bringing the Power of Heat
to the European Assembly Line

By Roberto Francia, Managing Director, COGEN Europe – The European Association for the Promotion of
Cogeneration

When electricity is
generated in thermal
power plants, heat is a
significant by-product.
However, large electricity producers
in Europe are wasting it because of
the distance between centralized
power stations and industrial heat
users. This inefficiency represents a
great cost to the European economy.
Cogeneration - or Combined Heat and
Power (CHP) - ensures that this heat is
captured and used. CHP is a valuable
tool in light of the EU’s 2030 climate
and energy objectives and of the
climate targets agreed by the wider
international community in Paris. Heat
conscious policies could also lead to
significant competitiveness gains for
the European industry.

Today, industrial consumption reflects alternative business models that Smart technologies can also allow CHP
37% of Europe’s heat demand. give entities more control over their to increase the inter-connectedness
One of the key virtues of CHP is energy supply at local level. Instead between stakeholders on the grid
its appropriateness for efficiently of consuming electricity in a passive and produce efficiency gains all
meeting this demand. Industrial way and being subject to fluctuating along the value chain. Therefore, CHP
processes demand large amounts of electricity retail prices, industrial could significantly contribute to the
heat, making them ideal for high- plants are able to generate their own revitalization of European Industry
efficiency cogeneration. In addition, power and heat. These benefits allow within the 2020 Industrial Renaissance
using cogeneration to provide both industries to boost their productivity strategy.
heat and electricity on site allows an by reducing the cost of heat by up to
industry to substantially reduce its 30%. The savings obtained through Just as Cogeneration technologies
carbon footprint - for energy intensive cogeneration may be reinvested in are ideally placed to satisfy industry’s
industries, this figure is even greater. the production process and make energy demand, industry is well
CHP is embedded in many sectors European industry more competitive. positioned to transfer cogenerated
including food, agriculture, ceramics,
chemicals, refining and paper and
in the supply chain of many more
industries including packaging, food
processing and the automotive sector.
In fact, recent studies have shown a
significant market for new efficiency
gains that dynamic CHP technologies
could deliver.

CHP also provides industry with

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