Combined Heat and Power
The simultaneous generation of power and heat in one plant is called combined heat and power generation (CHP) or cogeneration. Compared to the separate production of heat and power in conventional power plants and individual heating systems, CHP units are up to 40 percent more efficient. There are large and small plants operating on the CHP principle.
CHP systems utilizes the unused heat that results from generating electricity and feeds it to customers through district heating pipelines. With more than 1,500 kilometers, Berlin has the largest district heating network in Western Europe. In recent years, technological improvement and government initiatives to extend the use of combined heat and power have led to increasing numbers of decentralized, small CHP units.
Power from the neighborhood
These engines with outputs below one MWel can supply heat and power to individual properties or production facilities extremely efficiently. Meanwhile, numerous manufacturers offer compact mini-CHP and micro-CHP units with an output range below 50 kWel to use in multi-family houses or service industry buildings. CHP units work efficiently and economically if heat demand is sufficiently high throughout the year.
Power for the neighborhood
Operators can feed the electricity generated by the CHP unit into the local grid and receive a CHP bonus in addition to the current electricity price fixed at the energy exchange, but they can also sell it directly in the property. The Berliner Energieagentur has specialized in supplying mini-CHP units for residential, service industry and office buildings. We cover the financing, planning, installation and operation of the plants at our own economic risk.
We either integrate the CHP unit into an existing central heating system (additional provision model) or replace outdated heating systems and install a completely new energy center including a CHP unit in the building (full contracting).