A major hospital that treats critically ill patients cannot afford power failures. Facing intermittent power problems — and needing to replace old boilers — the 536-bed University of Illinois Hospital installed a 24 MWe cogeneration system for its campus in Chicago. Powered by three Taurus 70 natural gas turbine generator sets, the system fulfills … [Read more...]
Industrial Energy Efficiency Bill Gets Key Business Backing
A bill before Congress would make industrial energy efficiency -- including combined heat and power -- eligible for federal investment tax credits. Phyllis Cuttino, of The Pew Charitable Trusts, explains the legislation's importance. It is often said that efficiency is the first and cheapest fuel. Yet highly efficient, cogeneration technologies, … [Read more...]
How Should We Define Microgrids? As Energy Efficiency or Some other Animal?
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy does not consider microgrids when it ranks states each year on energy efficiency polices. Microgrids would benefit from being included. State leaders exhibit quite a bit of pride in a high ranking on the scorecard; it’s a good motivational tool to encourage effective energy efficiency policy and … [Read more...]
Ontario Seeks CHP; Readies for Energy Storage RFP
The Ontario Power Authority is accepting applications for up to 100 MW of combined heat and power projects, beginning November 3 and running through December 19. Ontario seeks CHP under what is known as its Combined Heat and Power Standard Offer Program 2.0, CHPSOP 2.0. It will allot contracts for up to 75 MW of CHP for the agricultural industry … [Read more...]
New Report Now Available on the Energy Efficient Microgrid
Here we introduce, The Energy Efficient Microgrid: What Combined Heat & Power and District Energy Bring to the Microgrid Revolution, the latest in our Think Microgrid series. A kind of collective ‘ah ha’ is driving North America toward a more distributed grid, what some call local energy. Businesses, industrial facilities, institutions and … [Read more...]