Cogeneration and trigeneration systems can be implemented to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and increase the energy efficiency of civil infrastructure.
This news item is a reproduction of a news article written by Martin Smith, that featured in the Australian publication Sustainability and Infrastructure Magazine, November 2011
Cogeneration – also known as combined heat and power (CHP) – and trigeneration (heat, power and cooling) have the ability to significantly increase the energy efficiency of many energy-intensive acilities, such as hospitals, airports, commercial office complexes and industrial factories.
Decentralised gas-fired cogeneration plants can reduce carbon emissions by up to 60 per cent. By comparison, conventional electricity generation only converts an average of 30–35 per cent of the energy potential contained in the fuel into electricity, while the rest is lost as waste, heat and in transmission losses.
As governmental pressure mounts on the engineering and construction industries to reduce their carbon footprint, the efficiencies and energy returns from cogeneration and trigeneration schemes are proving it to be the energy resource of choice.
GE’s Jenbacher gas engines can utilise the waste heat accrued during an engine’s operation when producing electricity.
The heat produced can be delivered through various mediums, including warm water (for space heating and hot water systems), steam or hot air (for commercial, hospital and industrial uses).
Trigeneration, the production of electricity, heat and cooling in one single process, is also possible with the use of absorption chillers. Trigeneration is an attractive option in situations where all three needs exist, such as in commercial buildings, hospitals and production processes with cooling requirements.
Optimised Combined Heat, Power & Cooling Systems
A key parameter of an optimised cogeneration or trigeneration plant is the highest possible electrical efficiency. GE Jenbacher is an engine manufacturer focused on research and development, solely for gas engine technology. As a result, the company can guarantee an electrical efficiency of well over 48 per cent. This provides energy savings of up to 40 per cent when compared with the conventional means of electricity and heat generation. From the Surat Basin in Queensland to the central business district of Sydney, GE Jenbacher has been the gas engine of choice for decentralised power generation in Australia.
Clarke Energy, provides total gas-to-energy solutions ranging from the supply of gas generation equipment as the distributor of GE Jenbacher gas engines, through to the turnkey delivery of gas-fired power plants from 1 megawatt (MW) up to 60 MW.
Clarke Energy is working on several Australian projects currently underway to deliver trigeneration plants, including for Perth Airport, the Alice Springs Hospital and the Queensland Children’s Hospital and is targeting 500 MW of total generation capacity installed or under contract in Australia by the end of 2011.
For further information call 08 8290 2100.
