Combined Heat and Power

When we talk about a “combined heat & power” (CHP), often referred to as “Cogeneration” or “Cogen”, we are describing the practice of using fuel (or nuclear energy) to heat up a liquid, usually water, to a high-temperature superheated condition, using the superheated steam to drive a turbine or steam engine to produce power; often by means of driving a generator to produce electricity. In the process of giving up energy to provide mechanical or electrical power, the steam is no longer superheated, or at least, not by much. Essentially, it is saturated steam, at a lower temperature and pressure. The saturated steam can then be used for process or building heating purposes. Nearly two-thirds of the energy used by conventional electricity generation is wasted in the form of heat discharged into the atmosphere. CHP is an energy-efficient technology that generates electricity and captures the heat that would otherwise be wasted to provide useful thermal energy—such as steam or hot water—that can be used for space heating, cooling, domestic hot water, and industrial processes. By using the steam both for power and heat, more of the energy from the original heat source is put to use, and therefore less fuel is needed, making it more sustainable.

A CHP expert is one who understands how to extract two value streams from existing or potential biomass waste. They would normally have a degree in engineering, likely mechanical or chemical, and will have experience in the field of power generation. These experts can assist clients who are creating biogas or directly burning biomass, where a cogen facility may be a good way to set things up. These experts may also be able to assist with sourcing biogas equipment and plant design, and can normally assist clients in any industries which generate or control undervalued biomass streams by providing the systematic methodology to understand the value proposition, which includes avoiding current disposal costs and displacing fossil-based heat and electricity supplies. Potential clients might be those companies that have a need for power and heat and will be seeking to use fuel for heat, thus saving on electrical costs by co-generating. Major food processing facilities like corn wet mills are one example.

Large renewable energy and biochemical consulting firms like Lee Enterprises Consulting normally offer a wide range of services in biofuels, biochemicals, biotechnologies, biomaterials, synthetic biology commercialization, feedstocks, and hemp/cannabis.  These companies should have available business and financial services like due diligence, feedstock availability, grants and loans, and bio market research.  The company also offers technical and engineering-related services like techno-economic analysis, environmental evaluations, feasibility studies, risk analysis, and expert witness engagements.   They might also have strategic partnerships in place to assist clients with insurance, legal, accounting, plant fabrication, and feedstock procurement.  

With over 150 experts worldwide, Lee Enterprises Consulting has experts in many specific clean and renewable areas, including anaerobic digestion, fermentation, biomass, conversion technologies for things like tires and railroad ties, organic synthesis, fuel additives, ethanol gas, biodiesel fuel including algae biofuels, solid-state and industrial fermentation, green energy grants, ag-biotech, agricultural waste, alcohol fuels, alternative proteins and animal-free products, sustainable foods, beverage fermentation, biocatalysis, biodiesel conversion, biogas production, biomass power, carbon intensity, co2 utilization, combined heat & power, Fischer-Tropsch technology, food waste, hydrothermal carbonization, industrial enzymes, landfill management, microbial fermentation, organic synthesis, plastic pyrolysis, plastic recycling, plastic waste, pyrolysis oil, reactor design, renewable identification number, the Renewable Fuel Standard (rfs2), solid recovered fuels, torrefaction and torrefied biomass, waste to energy, and waste-to-hydrogen.   This is a multidisciplinary group of green energy consultants that is a virtual “one-stop-shop” for any client need and handles projects of all types and sizes.

Look at our experts and the services we provide.  Most of our experts are also available to advise and serve as expert witnesses in bioeconomy litigation matters.  For the larger projects, we specialize in putting together full-service, interdisciplinary teams with one point of contact.  See the video about LEC here.  Call us at 1+ (501) 833-8511 or email us for more information.