COGENERATION and TRIGENERATION

Past, present and future of Cogeneration and Trigeneration

Until few years ago, and presently in the majority of the running First-generation Power plants,
the heat from Conventional Power plants for electricity production was just wasted creating
serious direct and indirect polluting problems. No saving consciousness, know-how and
technology was diffused.
In recent years the choice of reusing waste heat, by means of Cogeneration and Trigeneration,
which is still at an early stage, has been increased due to the fact that have been developed
multiple commercially valuable equipment and deep concern in the environment.
We expect that in the near future by means of Cogeneration and Trigeneration, Energy Saving
Plants will be much more diffused by Governments, Municipalities and particularly Private
Investors due to the unavoidable increasing problems caused by the costs to produce
electricity and conditioning with the conventional methods and due to no valuable alternatives,
so far.

schematic use Mini-Cogeneration and Mini-Trigeneration Units

Major advantages of Mini-Cogeneration and Mini-Trigeneration Units

The major advantages of the Mini-Cogeneration and Mini-Trigeneration Units are:
-

eco-compatible considering an estimated 30% reduction of polluting emissions;

direct save on money in the energy bill and an indirect save of the environment by reducing
the use of classically generated polluting-energy;

operate in standby mode connected to the grid, with immediate activation in case of need
to increase power capacity or to replace the grid of long blackout;

operate in stand alone mode, in parallel with photovoltaic and/or wind energy sources, with
instant compensation of load diagram and service levels equivalent to conventional grids,
with the same energy quality;

quick, independent and top quality power availability increase with no modification of
available connection to the grid;

water desalination and potabilization using recycled heat;

hybrid electrification with the same service level obtained from traditional grid, even in
completely off grid applications;

advanced modulating variable-speed Combined Heat and Power (CHP) with constant high
efficiency at any regime;

uninterruptible power supply (Class 3 UPS) with high efficiency and battery-independent
operations;

automatic heavy-duty power generating set;

automatic power factor correction system;

automatic management system for renewable sources, eliminating their natural intermittent
availability which make them not programmable;

no service interruption with sudden picks when turning on and off connected loads;

basically constant and reliable cost per kWh at all electric load levels and for all load
variations;

save money in operating and in maintenance costs;

shelf-mounted facility. No platforms require extensive pilings to maintain a stable base for
normal operation;

special financing and/or incentives are offered in many locations;

compact. Easy to transport and install. Low operating and in maintenance costs.

Cogeneration and Trigeneration complies with LEEDs energy efficiency requisites for the
design, construction, and operation of high performance sustainable buildings, ranging
from small residential homes to large commercial buildings and multi-building campuses.

In addition to the economic benefits and advantages, Mini-Cogeneration and Mini-Trigeneration

Units reduce the dependence on foreign energy supplies and help the environment by
dramatically reducing greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide - when compared to
typical power plants.
Mini-Cogeneration and Mini-Trigeneration Units are very energy efficient, conserve natural
resources and reduce fuel consumption as the system operates at such high efficiencies.

Ideal uses of Mini-Cogeneration and Mini-Trigeneration Units

Mini-Cogeneration and Mini-Trigeneration Units are particularly suitable for:
- electricity and air conditioning supply to islands, tourist resorts, rural, mountainous and
remote areas which are disadvantaged by their typical isolated location in terms of energy
distribution and can be hardly reached by conventional power grids, both for development
costs and times, and for strictly technical reasons;
- electricity and air conditioning to public or private structures such as hotels, hospitals,
schools, sport centres, swimming pools, residences;
- electricity and air conditioning of military and navy facilities;
- desiccation and removal of humidity for industry;
- provision of hot and cold water for industry;
- provision of hot and therapeutic waters, if available, for SPA and thermal parks;
- antifreeze protection of streets, driveways, sidewalk and pavements;
- floor radiant heat;
- aquacultures in which warm water from underground enable fish to grow though the winter
and mature more quickly;
- production of mushrooms, desiccation of fruits, tomatoes and cotton;
- greenhouses for hot water in-ground piping or utilizing a fan/blower system;
- laundry facilities and carwashes with high hot water use and electrical demand;
- industrial facilities such as oil refineries, paper mills, galvanization plants, wastewater
treatment plants, thermal and industrial plants with large heating needs;
- installation in structures of any size, anywhere, whether it is single or multiple properties,
in almost any size lot: under lawns, landscaped areas, driveways, or in the building itself;
- existing buildings the can be retrofitted with Cogeneration and Trigeneration systems using
the existing ductwork, if in good status;
- water and sewerage treatment plants;
- upgrading, extension or new-built power stations
Cogeneration Units, Trigeneration Units are ideal for structures in need of:
- conditioning;
- additional and stable efficiency of power generated from renewable sources;
- emergencies or stand-by for compactness and readily available complete systems, which
save the essential factor of time;
- water desalination and potabilization;
- modular machines for Energy independence
Mini-Cogeneration Units and Mini-Trigeneration Units are most efficient when the conditioning
can be used on site or very close to it. Overall efficiency is reduced when the heat must be
transported over longer distances. This requires heavily insulated pipes, which are expensive
and inefficient; whereas electricity can be transmitted along a comparatively simple wire, and
over much longer distances for the same energy loss.

Schematic save and ideal users of Cogeneration

Where could be used Mini-Cogeneration and Mini-Trigeneration Units ?

Cogeneration and Trigeneration
could be used wherever and
from
whomever
is
very
sensitive
to
environmental
issues and in need of heat and
cold conditioning as well as
electricity independence.

Alternatives to Energy Saving Cogeneration and Trigeneration Plants

The inability to excavate more fossil fuel reserves and the global environmental concern has
made the world change its course towards alternative new resources recently.
There is no environmentally-sound and cost-effective alternative, to our knowledge, to Energy
Saving by Cogeneration and Trigeneration, a part (where applicable) the Geothermal Plants,
when flexibility, promptness, easiness, sudden need of electricity and conditioning is needed in
addition to a direct save on money in the energy bill and an indirect save of the environment
by reducing the use of classically generated polluting-energy.
Solar energy has been touted for years as a safer, cleaner alternative to burning fossil
fuels to meet rising energy demands.
Producing electricity from solar cells reduces air pollutants by about 90 percent in
comparison to using conventional fossil fuel technologies.
However, environmentalists and others are increasingly concerned about the potential negative
impact of solar cell (photovoltaic) technology.
In some countries protest against the visual and ecosystems impact of Solar plants and the
visual, ecosystem and noise impacts of Wind-driven plants have been recorded.