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CHP Halves Home Energy Bill, Cuts CO2 By 40%

So, it turns out Oak Ridge National Labs and I are on the same page when it comes to alternative energy. The lab just released a bullish report on the benefits of cogeneration (combining heat and power) systems, while I just received my first energy bill since installing a CHP system in my home: I cut my November energy bill by more than half and reduced my CO2 emissions by 40%.

But first, Oak Ridge National Lab. It notes in a December report, titled Combined Heat and Power: Effective Energy Solutions for a Sustainable Future, that CHP technologies account for about 9% of annual U.S. power generation. Roughly doubling that capacity could cut projected U.S. carbon dioxide emissions by 60% by 2030 -- the equivalent to taking 45 million cars off the road.

Notes the report:

Current CHP systems made up of gas turbines, fuel cells or engines combined with heat exchangers and chillers cut 1.8 billion Btu of fuel consumption and 266 million tons of CO₂ emissions compared to traditional separate production of electricity and thermal energy.

In addition to the 60% CO₂ reduction, raising CHP generating capacity to 20% would create a million new jobs; $234 billion in new U.S. investments; and fuel savings equivalent to nearly half the total energy now consumed by U.S. households.

Granted, my CHP system is a wee bit smaller than might catch the lab's eye. But the results are inspiring, nonetheless.

Back-of-the-envelope calculations tell me that I've reduced my total energy bill to $351 for the month of November 2008, from $748 in the year-ago month. CO₂ emissions from these energy sources fell to 3,016 pounds, from 5,049 a year ago.

There are some important variables I'm not including. For example, the cast-iron furnace that I tossed has an efficiency rating of only 75% -- at the combustion point. By the time the heat traveled up to my office, it was closer to 50%. A modern oil burner could have done much better. I also added some insulation and replaced the storm windows at the tail end of the month. I'm sure those measures have had a significant boost to my home's energy efficiency that I'm casually attributing to the CHP system.

Regardless, I feel I'm clearly on the right path.

For examples of CHP projects, the Midwest CHP Application Center (MAC) keeps a list of case studies. MAC was established in March 2001 for the U.S. Department of Energy at the University of Illinois at Chicago's Energy Resources Center.

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