Combined Heat & Power Feasibility Studies (CHP)

TNEI specialise in Combined Heat and Power and Biomass Combined Heat and Power feasibility studies. Historically, CHP has been financially attractive to sites with a year-round heat demand; usually industrial sites. Buildings that operate around the clock are also particularly suitable for CHP: leisure centres, hotels, hospitals. CHP has also been attractive as a means to serve essential loads during an interruption to mains power supplies, increasing security of energy supplies.

TNEI approach the feasibility of Combined Heat and Power (CHP) through analysis of the key factors that determine the financial attractiveness of a CHP project:

• The concurrent requirement for heat and electrical power, through analysis of historic and projected energy data.
• The difference between the cost of buying electric power from the grid and the cost of natural gas, commonly referred to as the ‘spark spread’.
• The difference between the installed costs of a CHP system and that of a conventional system. The lower the installed cost differential, the more attractive the savings and payback associated with the CHP project.

To allow for an informed decision as to whether to pursue a CHP project, TNEI produce a summary report which includes the data used, the calculation methodology and the following outputs:

• A cost estimate for the recommended scope of equipment required.
• The ongoing benefits of displaced grid electricity and displaced fuel.
• The ongoing costs of fuel for the proposed CHP plant.
• Ongoing operational and maintenance costs.
• Potential grant funding or financial incentives that the site may be eligible for.
• An analysis of the potential constraints on a CHP project and suggestions for further investigation.