• What is cogeneration?
• How does a cogeneration unit works?
• Why to invest in cogeneration?
• What are the areas of application for cogeneration?
• What are the advantages of cogeneration?

The concept of cogeneration means the combined production of electric energy and heat. Unlike the classic power plant, where heat produced in the creation of energy escapes into the environment, a cogeneration unit uses the heat produced for heating and thus saves both fuel and money needed for its purchase.

Electricity in all power stations originates in the spinning of electrical generators with the help of turbines.The heat necessary for the production of steam, which drives the turbine, mainly comes from the burning of coal or the fission of atomic nuclei. Most of the heat is not used however, and is released into the atmosphere. The nuclear power plant at Dukovany therefore operates at 26% efficiency. The Temelín NPP is designed to have 32% efficiency. The effectiveness of production in heating power stations runs at around 30%; the most modern steam-gas power plants at around 50%, and of course, with further losses of around 11% during the transformation and transfer of electricity from a distance. In cogeneration units the electricity is generated in the same way as in other power plants - the spinning of an electric generator, and that with the aid of rotary gas-burning motors. Motors in cogeneration units are built as standard around natural gas, but can also burn other liquid or gas fuels.

The heat, which is released by the burner motor, is the means of cooling the motor, oils and waste gases are effectively used, and thus the efficiency of cogeneration units is at around 80 - 90%.

1. To reduce electric costs
2. To increase plant efficiency
3. To reduce your dependance on expensive utility power
4. To earn high rate of return on your investment

Cogeneration brings energy savings to a wide range of industries

1. Chemical Industries
2. Pulp and Paper Industries
3. Textile and Sugar Industries
4. Food Processing Industries
5. Pharmasecutical Industries
6. Hotels, Universities and Hospitals

Using the cogeneration method to produce heat and electricity involves a roughly 40% saving on fuel. In money terms this means that the same amount of energy costs the user only 60% of the price, or for the same amount of fuel the user gains nearly twice as much energy, of which part can be sold, thus further reducing his own costs. A range of gas companies also provide various forms of discount on the consumption of gas for cogeneration. Heat and electricity are also generated at the point of consumption, by which costs for the distribution of energy and loss from distant distribution are cut. Heat originating in cogeneration units is used to heat buildings, to prepare hot water or to prepare technological heat. Cogeneration units therefore can be part of emergency sources of electrical energy at the point of its continuous consumption. With the help of absorption exchangers it is possible to use the generated heat to produce coolants for technological purposes or air-conditioning. In such cases we speak of so-called tri-generation - the combined production of electricity, heat and cold. Therefore the economic return of TEDOM cogeneration units usually runs at around 3 - 5 years depending on output and method of use. Because using the cogeneration method of production for heat and electricity saves about 40% of fuel costs, from the ecological point of view cogeneration units reduce the damage to the environment by a similar level. Therefore cogeneration units are currently among the most acceptable ways of producing heat and electricity in both the ecological and economic senses.