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Cogeneration

Also known as "combined heat and power" or CHP, cogeneration is the provision of both electric power and heat from a single source—a heat engine or power station. Separate heat and power systems are often only 33 percent efficient, but cogeneration can be 60 to 90 percent efficient by capturing and making productive use of waste heat on-site.

Among waste heat's many valuable applications is the generation of steam for commercial canneries and hot water for health clubs and commercial laundries. And the uses of cogeneration aren't limited to heat: The energy it generates can be used in cooling or refrigeration to power modern chiller and refrigeration technologies that use heat instead of mechanical energy to provide cooling.

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