The premise of on-site energy – or Distributed Generation – is to support specific buildings and locations through the on-site delivery of energy.
The conventional supply of energy from a utility is to geographic regions, not to specific customer locations and needs. Distributed Generation is a paradigm shift – from an infrastructure of only large centralized power plants and an aging utility distribution grid to smaller and more flexible alternatives developed with environmental forethought, fuel efficiency and consumer utility in mind.
By locating the energy installation on-site, users are able to take advantage of Cogeneration – capturing the excess heat of combustion from the engine to yield thermal energy in the form of hot water for heating, or through absorption chillers, cold water for cooling. These concepts, commonly known as Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and Combined Cooling and Power (CCP), are what make on-site energy so efficient and cost effective.
Cogeneration has been in use for decades in very large facilities. Now, with the technological advancement of smaller-scale equipment, cogeneration can be effectively deployed at schools, hotels, light manufacturing, and many other applications.
PowerHouse Energy is a member of the EPA's Combined Heat and Power Partnership.
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