ASHRAE Journal - December 2019 - 39

can reach that summit.
FIGURE 1 A CHP plant with sufﬁcient capacity that works in conjunction with renewable energy integrated with the grid proBattery storage technology
vides another layer of resilience, which can have minimal cost impact if it is designed into the system from the beginning.
required for 100% renewable
Extreme
Flooding
High Winds Earthquakes
Wildﬁres
Snow/Ice
Temperature
penetration does not exist,
Natural Disaster or
Storm Events
and the economics of a completely renewable electric
grid remain out of reach,
Battery Storage
said Gearoid Foley, Member
Biomass/Biogas CHP
ASHRAE, owner of Integrated
Distributed Solar
CHP Systems Corporation.
Distributed Wind
Foley said he believes while
battery development continNatural Gas CHP
ues, other paths to a zero carStandby Generators
bon future must be explored
Ranking criteria used to estimate vulnerability of a resource
to ensure decarbonizaResource is Unlikely to Experience Any Impacts
during a disaster event:
tion can be economically
Resource is Likely to Experience One, Two or Three Impacts
* A Fuel Supply Interruption * Damage to Equipment
achieved while maintaining
* Performance Limitations * A Planned or Forced Shutdown
Resource is Likely to Experience All Four Impacts
energy system reliability and
resilience.
"Integration of CHP with the smart grid is something
generation providing the bulk of marginal generation
we see as a potential future evolution for CHP where
in most areas, CHP systems can often displace more
CHP combined with other on-site generation resources
grid generated CO2 than renewables, primarily due to
higher capacity factors for CHP generation, said Bruce
including both intermittent renewable energy and fosHedman, Ph.D., managing director of Entropy Research
sil-fueled dispatchable generation, are combined with
LLC.
the power grid to offer the cleanest mix of power, and
Hedman said CHP systems are normally located at the
thermal energy, without sacriﬁcing reliability," he said.
point of use, which also avoids the transmission and
As the industry moves to increased adoption of CHP
distribution (T&D) losses associated with electricity pursystems, challenges ranging from proper power and
thermal load matching, grid interconnection, evolving chased via the grid from central station plants, including
utility-scale renewables.
electric and gas rate tariffs must be addressed. Other
Hedman said well-designed and operated natural gas
challenges include developing microgrids, new low
CHP systems can produce less net carbon emissions
and no carbon fuels and new electric utility business
per MWh than state-of-the-art utility-based natural gas
models.
generation, which increasingly represents the marginal
Road to Decarbonization
generation resource in many areas.* A typical 8 MW gas
Successful economy-wide decarbonization requires a
turbine CHP system (with and without a duct burner),
comprehensive and rational approach that understands an 1,100 kW reciprocating engine CHP system and a
the short, medium and long-term implications of energy 100 kW reciprocating engine CHP system all produce
market options, said Sweetser. Jurisdictions wrestling
less net carbon emissions on a lb/MWh basis than a cenwith ﬁnding a path to decarbonization need to undertral station combined cycle power plant or simple-cycle
stand how CHP systems ﬁt into a low-carbon future and peaking turbine ﬁred by natural gas, he said.
the technical, infrastructure and economic challenges
"For this reason, CHP systems should be considered
of providing low-to-no carbon electricity and thermal
the most efﬁcient and least carbon intensive fossilenergy, he said.
based generation option for the foreseeable future," said
"In the near-term, with fossil fuel central station
Hedman.
*Net CO emissions for CHP in lbs/MWh is based on total CHP CO emissions minus the displaced thermal CO emissions assuming
2
2
2
an 80% efﬁcient natural gas boiler divided by net CHP electric generation.

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