Page 54 - European Energy Innovation - Spring 2016 publication
P. 54
54 Spring 2016 European Energy Innovation
COMBINED HEAT AND POWER
electricity supply onto the grid. the fact that heat demand is not purely industry more energy efficient;
Industries using CHP have much to a consequence of seasonal household they improve the performance of
offer electricity networks in addressing heating needs, but is also the result of renewables overall by stabilizing
issues of capacity and predictability year round industrial processes. This intermittent RES supply through
of supply. Industrial CHP electricity new approach is encouraging and we energy storage; in addition, market
is reliably available with scheduled hope to see it reflected in legislative for CHP technologies using 100%
maintenance times, and plant capacity reform. renewable fuels is growing rapidly.
is normally modest in size compared
to central generation, allowing Maintaining the Energy Efficiency First • Within the Circular Economy,
industries to play a role in aggregated approach of the Strategy not only CHP facilitates waste to energy
supply. However, the availability of strengthens the trilemma of the EU’s processes by making heat intensive
flexibility will vary among different energy goals but also synergizes: the incineration 90% more efficient.
industries and their participation to security of supply, competitiveness
capacity and balancing services will and environmental protection. Policies Cogeneration is ideally placed to
depend on the opportunity cost of directed towards industrial CHP would facilitate energy savings in industry,
deviating from existing production facilitate all these objectives for the and industry is in the right position
schedules. following reasons: to Cogenerate. Utilizing untapped
potential of CHP in industry will lead
At European level, the Junker • By optimizing on site production, to substantial and dynamic efficiency
Commission’s focus on energy energy supply becomes more gains that will strengthen EU energy
efficiency has led to the first ever secure and less contingent on and industrial policy as a whole.
Heating and Cooling Strategy. This fluctuating market conditions; Legislative reforms currently in the
will encourage policy makers to focus pipeline are promising, particularly in
on the added value of CHP for energy • Efficiency gains from CHP the context of energy intensive industry.
efficient industry across a range of production further the aims of the
legislative fields. The Strategy has Energy Efficiency Directive. For The CODE2 project, co-funded by the
clearly been informed by a strong this reason, on site energy savings European Union, demonstrates that
awareness of the energy saving should be encouraged. 20% of electricity and 25% of heat
potential of CHP in industry: it takes a could be produced in cogeneration
holistic approach to energy production • CHP technologies enhance mode by 2030 in a cost-effective
and demonstrates an institutional environmental protection on manner. It is high time to bring the
trend away from an electricity centric many levels: they significantly Power of Heat to the European
energy policy. It also takes into account reduce C02 emissions by making Assembly line. l
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