Many facilities use large amounts of electricity, heat, hot water, steam, or process energy on a daily basis. In some cases, part of that energy is being wasted in normal operations, and no one knows it. That wasted energy is a big opportunity for improvement when utilities are high.
One way facilities can convert waste heat to usable energy is by using combined heat and power, or CHP. Instead of heat just being a by-product, it can be reused and put back to work for the facility. For buildings with a constant energy demand, CHP can be an excellent way to get more value from energy already being used.
What Is Combined Heat And Power?
Combined heat and power (CHP) is a system that produces electricity but also captures useful heat produced in the process. In a traditional setup, a facility may purchase electricity from the grid, then separately use it to generate heat used for hot water, steam, space heating, sanitation, or production needs.
CHP allows those needs to be met more efficiently. The system produces electricity and uses waste heat. That recovered heat can then be used elsewhere in the facility based on the operation. The idea is simple. If your facility is already consuming energy and producing heat, there might be a way to capture that heat and put it to work.
Why Waste Heat Can Be An Energy Opportunity
Waste heat is a part of operations that is easily overlooked. A facility may have production equipment, steam systems, hot water needs, cleaning processes, food processing operations, or other systems that generate or need heat every day.
If that heat is not being reused, the facility is paying for energy in more than one place. It could be paying for electricity and also paying to generate heat when some of that heat could possibly be recovered and reused.
Here is where CHP becomes worth talking about. The opportunity is not just about making power, it’s about understanding how energy is moving through your facility and finding ways to cut out unnecessary waste.
What Types Of Facilities Should Consider CHP?
The CHP is most suitable for facilities with a constant electrical load and thermal needs. This includes food production facilities, commercial laundry businesses, healthcare facilities, manufacturing buildings, municipal infrastructure, wastewater treatment plants, data centers, and other large commercial or industrial facilities. If your organization uses lots of electricity and has lots of useful excess heat, implementing CHP can be a huge opportunity.
How To Know If CHP Makes Sense For Your Facility
The best way to determine whether CHP is worth pursuing is to understand how your facility currently uses energy. Facility leaders need to know where energy is being used, where heat may be wasted, and which opportunities could create the greatest return before investing in a major energy improvement.
A Level 1 energy audit can help establish that baseline. This initial assessment provides your team with a better understanding of your current energy usage, system performance, and potential opportunities for improvement. From there, Quandel Energy Solutions can assist with determining whether CHP, heat recovery, electricity reduction, utility reduction, or another strategy should be explored further.
If CHP looks like a strong opportunity, a more in-depth analysis can help determine projected savings, implementation needs, and whether the project makes financial and operational sense.
Contact Quandel To Talk About CHP And Energy Reduction Opportunities
CHP can be a useful energy reduction tool, but it needs to be evaluated in the context of your facility’s actual usage, operations, infrastructure, and long-term goals. Our goal is to identify the energy improvement approach that delivers the most practical value.
Quandel Energy Solutions helps facilities evaluate their energy consumption, identify cost reduction opportunities, and determine whether solutions such as combined heat and power make sense.
Start with a level 1 energy audit or more in-depth energy consulting services to find out if CHP or another energy reduction strategy is the best choice for your facility. Contact Quandel Energy Solutions to help lower utility costs and improve overall performance for your facility.
