Cogeneration

A method of using the heat that is produced as a by-product of electrical generation and that would otherwise be wasted. The heat can be used for space heating of buildings (usually in district or community heating schemes) or for industrial purposes. Utilising the heat in this way means that 70-85% of the energy converted from fuelstuffs can be put to use, rather than the 30-50% that is typical for electrical generation alone. Co-generation schemes can be relatively small scale, for use at the level of a factory or hospital, or can be major power stations. The term CHP is employed in the UK and some other parts of Europe, while the term co-generation is employed elsewhere in Europe, the US and other countries.