Combined heat and power
(CHP) and cogeneration are just
two of the most common terms referring to the application of technologies to generate
electricity and thermal energy from a single, highly efficient, and economically
integrated system.
CHP
systems date back more than 100 years and were the most common electricity generators in
the U.S. until improved cost and reliability of central power production made it more
convenient for users to purchase their electricity. With
the energy crisis of the 70s, U.S. industries re-discovered the benefits of
CHP. Currently, approximately 56,000 MW of CHP
generation is in operation in the U.S. The CHP
industry, DOE and EPA are committed to doubling that number by 2010.
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