Generating electricity on-site has many benefits over the traditional mains supply, and very often, the two work hand in hand, especially on large sites where a lot of electricity is needed. With the power to choose electricity providers, you can select the best rates that suit your needs. Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems play a large part in heating and providing power for many large public and commercial sites. Another way to reduce your energy bill is through renewable energy. For those living in Texas, Spark Energy offers some renewable energy plans (green energy plans). If you are considering reducing your carbon emissions connected with a traditional energy plan. They do this by using the heat that is generated as a by-product, and this gives them a far greater fuel efficiency.
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A Range of Applications
If a site requires heat or electricity, it can benefit from a CHP system, and with smaller units for residential use, one can generate 5kW(e), while a large building, such as a hospital, would require 1 MW(e) or more, which can be achieved with the larger systems.
Flexible CHP
Typically, a CHP installation allows for higher fuel efficiency and it has a fixed output, but modern CHP units, such as SAV LoadTracker, can be configured with other sources, such as a heat pump. The units can be connected in relays to provide more power, and are more efficient than the previous generation.
On-site Assessment
It is essential to assess the power and heat requirements regarding thermal and electrical loads, then the CHP provider can ensure that your energy requirements will be met in the most economical way. This assessment would tell the supplier how many units were required, and the project will be tailored to the customer’s needs.
Financial Benefits
If you think about a leisure center, for example, a place that is open for most of the time, and apart from the large amount of electricity, it also needs instant hot water, with showers and Spas working throughout the day. CHP is more cost-effective, as you are generating most of the power and heat that you need, while using the grid at the cheapest times.
More Efficient Run-Times
Fixed output CHP systems could not effectively deal with variable demand, yet the latest generation constantly check electrical demand and respond appropriately, minimizing the use of expensive grid power. Maintaining constant flow temperatures has always been a challenge, and with CHP systems, this is automatically configured.
Government Sites
There are many large sites that are using CHP systems, prisons, museums, hospitals, hotels, and many more. The eco-friendly trend means that energy saving systems like CHP are a popular choice, and the large saving is most welcome too. Why buy electricity when you can self-generate it? This is the question that many project owners are asking themselves, and more often than not, CHP systems are the answer.
Energy Saving
By producing one’s own electricity and hot water, a person is really doing something positive for environmental preservation, and if technology continues to make systems more efficient, we will lessen the load on our planet.