Building a combined heat and power (CHP) generation plant is a complex undertaking that requires teams of specialists to handle the many aspects of the project—from conception and planning to implementation.
Speak with one of our high voltage electrical engineering CHP Specialists today.
The design of the combined heat and power plant and all its components and services must be carried out in accordance with a range of statutory requirements, technical specifications and other considerations. Up to this point the main individual items of plant and equipment that are part of a CHP installation have been considered separately. It is essential to consider how they are put together to form a complete installation. Each individual plant item fulfills a specific purpose, and continuous operation of the whole plant depends on the reliable performance of all of the separate components.
Experience in the design and installation of high voltage electrical infrastructure has placed Powersystems in a position ideally suited to carryout combined heat and power (CHP) systems balance of plant contracts.
The civil and electrical works are referred to as the Balance of Plant (BOP). The civil and electrical works are designed and installed by a high voltage specialist electrical contractor like Powersystems.
Powersystems engineers are highly experienced in the design, specification, installation and commissioning of combined heat and power systems including; substations, switchgear, transformers, cable infrastructure and earthing systems, enabling the complete installation to be carried out.
Combined heat and power infrastructure consists of the below points to be considered in your CHP project.
Although the decision to install a CHP project is determined largely by the potential financial benefits, certain practical aspects must also be considered. Many of these will already have been taken into account as part of the project feasibility assessment, but it is important to ensure that there are no unforeseen problems that could hinder the installation process. Issues to consider are; the air supply, electrical connection, exhaust system, fuel supply, heat output, heat rejection equipment and plant location.
Electrical works
Clean Growth is one of the four grand challenges of the UK Government’s industrial Strategy and energy efficiency and decarbonising heat are vital parts of the ambition. In June 2019, the UK committed in legislation to bring all green house gases to net zero by 2050.
The target requires the UK to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050, compared to the previous target of at least an 80% reduction from 1990 levels. In addition to our net zero target and as part of the UK’s
Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the United Nations process, the UK has committed to an ambitious pledge to reduce emissions by at least 68% from 1990 levels by The 2020 Energy White Paper and Ten Point Plan signal the steps needed to achieve the net zero goal. The recently published Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy and the forthcoming Heat and Buildings Strategy set out more detail on how this rapid decarbonisation will be achieved in these key sectors. The amount of renewable energy in the generation mix of the electricity grid is now over 40% and fossil fuels such as coal are due to be phased out of the generation portfolio by 2024.
All sectors of the national economy will contribute to achieving these goals. While efficiency measures and renewable energy can reduce emissions in the industrial and agricultural sectors, they cannot eliminate these entirely. Consequently, other sectors need to sharply reduce their energy consumption and minimise their use of fossil fuels. This also applies to the electricity sector.
~ Combined heat and power reduces energy costs, CHP typically has an efficiency of over 80% ~
Combined heat and power has a special role to play here: Combined heat and power is an efficient process that captures and utilises the heat that is produced in power generation, this is usually electrical but can sometimes be mechanical. By generating heat and power simultaneously from the same fuel, CHP can reduce carbon emissions by up to 30% compared to the separate generation of heat through a gas-fired boiler and an electricity power station. Where a demand for both heat and electrotype exist in the same location, CHP can reduce energy costs whilst reducing carbon emissions and air pollution.
The key benefit of CHP generation is that much of the heat which would otherwise be wasted from power only generation is recovered for additional uses, thereby reducing overall fuel consumption and atmospheric emissions of greenhouse and polluting gases. Renewable CHP generation reduces further still the carbon intensity of power generation through the use of carbon neutral, renewable fuels.
CHP systems are highly efficient, making use of the heat which would otherwise be wasted when generating electrical or mechanical power. This allows heat requirements to be met that would otherwise require additional fuel to be burnt.
For many organisations, CHP is the measure that offers the most significant single opportunity to reduce energy costs and to improve environmental performance with existing users of CHP typically saving around 20% of their energy costs.
What are the advantages of CHP?
A CHP plant consists essentially of an electrical generator combined with equipment for recovering and using the heat produced by that generator. The generator may be a prime mover such as a gas turbine or a reciprocating engine. Watch this film to see how CHP works.
CHP is fuel neutral
As an energy generation process, CHP is fuel neutral. This means that a CHP process can be applied to both renewable and fossil fuels. The specific technologies employed, and the efficiencies they achieve will vary, but in every situation CHP offers the capability to make more efficient and effective use of valuable primary energy resources.
CHP is local
CHP plants provide local heat, electricity and sometimes even cooling to various types of users. Because the energy is produced locally, CHP has the added benefit of avoiding efficiency losses incurred through transmission and distribution of electricity through the National Grid and local distribution networks. Around 7% of energy would usually be lost when the network is used to transport energy from the generation source to the user.
The Government provides support to improve the commercial case for investing in CHP because of its relatively long payback period, the environmental benefits of cogeneration, and technical complexity.
The CHP Quality Assurance Scheme (CHPQA)
The CHP Quality Assurance Scheme (CHPQA) is an annual assessment process, that ensures that all CHP plants that benefit from government support meet a required level of energy efficiency.
Read the latest combined heat and power (CHP) case studies from Powersystems in combined heat and power projects
Powersystems high voltage (HV) power engineering were responsible for for the design, installation, testing and commissioning of the electrical infrastructure associated with the 2.7 MW combined heat and power (CHP) generator connection at the Cornwall Bakery.
Powersystems were responsible for the design, installation, testing and commissioning of the electrical infrastructure associated with the 1.3 MW combined heat and power (CHP) generator connection at Plastic Omnium, Edison Road, Birmingham.
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