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Cogeneration--An opportunity for utilities

Conference · · Proc. Am. Power Conf.; (United States)
OSTI ID:6625437

This paper presents a cogeneration case study in order to highlight the features of cogeneration to the utility and/or industry. A coal direct-fired cogeneration plant (CDF-Cogen) is compared with a natural-gas-based combined-cycle cogeneration plant (CC-Cogen) to replace the steam produced by a typical existing industrial oil-fired boiler plant producing 453,600 kg/h (1,000,000 lb/h) of process steam. Topping cycles are used in both cogeneration alternatives since this is the preferred approach for large-scale industrial process steam applications. The results of the comparison indicate that CC-Cogen offers economic, technical and environmental advantages over CDF-Cogen. In order to use the CC-Cogen alternative, an exemption must be obtained from the DOE under the Fuel Use Act (FUA) to continuously fire natural gas or oil. It is concluded that adequately structured cogeneration ventures will allow utilities to bring ''new'' capacity on line and through deregulated business arrangements allow utilities to obtain an attractive return on equity, depending upon the creativity of the financing and ownership structures involved.

Research Organization:
Ebasco Services Inc., New York, NY
OSTI ID:
6625437
Report Number(s):
CONF-830446-
Journal Information:
Proc. Am. Power Conf.; (United States), Journal Name: Proc. Am. Power Conf.; (United States) Vol. 45; ISSN PAPWA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English