Small-scale biomass fueled cogeneration systems - A guidebook for general audiences
What is cogeneration and how does it reduce costs? Cogeneration is the production of power -- and useful heat -- from the same fuel. In a typical biomass-fueled cogeneration plant, a steam turbine drives a generator, producing electricity. The plant uses steam from the turbine for heating, drying, or other uses. The benefits of cogeneration can mostly easily be seen through actual samples. For example, cogeneration fits well with the operation of sawmills. Sawmills can produce more steam from their waste wood than they need for drying lumber. Wood waste is a disposal problem unless the sawmill converts it to energy. The case studies in Section 8 illustrate some pluses and minuses of cogeneration. The electricity from the cogeneration plant can do more than meet the in-house requirements of the mill or manufacturing plant. PURPA -- the Public Utilities Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 -- allows a cogenerator to sell power to a utility and make money on the excess power it produces. It requires the utility to buy the power at a fair price -- the utility`s {open_quotes}avoided cost.{close_quotes} This can help make operation of a cogeneration plant practical.
- Research Organization:
- Tennessee Valley Authority, Muscle Shoals, AL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Tennessee Valley Authority, Knoxville, TN (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 10190489
- Report Number(s):
- Z-348; ON: DE95001737; TRN: 94:009703
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Dec 1993
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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29 ENERGY PLANNING
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09 BIOMASS FUELS
COGENERATION
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
BIOMASS
WASTE HEAT UTILIZATION
DUAL-PURPOSE POWER PLANTS
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WASTE HEAT RECOVERY AND UTILIZATION
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ECONOMIC, INDUSTRIAL, AND BUSINESS ASPECTS