Industrial and commercial cogeneration

Technical Report · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:5786311

The report describes the available and promising future cogeneration technologies, including their likely costs and operating characteristics, and reviews the potential applications for these technologies in industry, commercial buildings, and rural/agricultural areas. It also describes the technical requirements for interconnecting cogeneration systems with the utility grid, and discusses advanced combustion and conversion technologies (fluidized bed and gasification systems) that will enable cogenerators to use fuels other than oil and natural gas. The analysis of cogeneration's market potential focuses on the competitiveness of cogeneration when compared to investments in conservation or in conventional separate thermal and electric energy systems (e.g., an industrial boiler and a central station utility powerplant). In addition, the report examines the possible effects of the widespread use of cogeneration systems on utilities and their ratepayers, and on air quality. Several options for changes in Federal policy in order to enhance cogeneration's market potential, to optimize its ability to displace oil and natural gas, and to mitigate its possible adverse economic and environmental impacts are discussed.

• Research Organization: Office of Technology Assessment (U.S. Congress), Washington, DC
• OSTI ID: 5786311
• Report Number(s): PB-83-180547
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
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Consumption
& Utilization-- Municipalities & Community Systems-- Public Utilities-- (1980-)
COGENERATION
DEUS
ECONOMIC IMPACT
ENERGY SYSTEMS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
GASIFICATION
INDUSTRY
MARKET
POWER GENERATION
STEAM GENERATION
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES