Developing Combined Heat and Power Projects - a PDH Online Course for Engineers, Surveyors and Architects

Developing Combined Heat and Power Projects

Course Outline

This four hour course provides valuable information for those individuals who have an interest in the developing CHP systems. It will prove useful to those designing and operating and maintaining landfills where municipal wastes are disposed, wastewater treatment facilities that use anaerobic digestion and other biomass facilities. The text for this course is the US Environmental Protection Agency’s publication, “CHP Project Development Handbook”.

This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end of each of the five lectures, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course material.

Learning Objective

At the conclusion of this course, the student will be able to:

Understand how to determine whether CHP is worth considering;
Understand the need for a CHP Champion;
Understand the diverse technical factors that contribute to a CHP project;
Understand the diverse economic factors that contribute to a CHP project;
Understand how to identify technical barriers to a CHP project;
Understand preliminary conceptual engineering considerations;
Understand preliminary economic analysis considerations;
Understand the typical costs for a Level 1 feasibility analysis;
Understand the time frame for a Level 1 feasibility analysis;
Understand the key questions to answer for a Level 1 feasibility analysis;
Understand the resources needed to conduct the Level 1 feasibility analysis;
Understand the typical costs for a Level 2 feasibility analysis;
Understand the purposes of the Level 2 feasibility alysis;
Understand the time frame for a Level 2 feasibility analysis;
Understand the key questions to answer for a Level 2 feasibility analysis;
Understand the resources needed to conduct the Level 2 feasibility analysis;
Understand who should conduct the Level 2 feasibility analysis;
Understand how to select a CHP development contractor;
Understand how to finance a CHP project;
Understand project financing options for a CHP project;
Understand the necessary permits needed for a CHP project;
Understand the permitting process for a CHP project;
Understand how to estimate permit costs;
Understand operation and maintenance typical costs;
Understand EPA’s CHP Partnership;
Understand where to obtain technical assistance;
Understand how to use the CHP Emissions Calculator;
Understand how to calculate reliability benefits;
Understand methods for calculating efficiency; and
Understand EPA’s Energy Star CHP awards.

Intended Audience

The intended audience for this course is any professional who is involved in energy recovery at any biomass facility, wastewater facility, landfill, or other facilities where a CHP project is possible.

Benefit to Attendees

Attendees of this course will understand the basics of developing a CHP project.

Course Introduction

Combined heat and power (CHP), also known as cogeneration, is the simultaneous production of electricity and heat from a single fuel source, such as: natural gas, biomass, biogas, coal, waste heat, or oil. CHP is not a single technology, but an integrated energy system that can be modified depending upon the needs of the energy end user.

CHP provides: onsite generation of electrical and/or mechanical power, waste-heat recovery for heating, cooling, dehumidification, or process applications, and a seamless system integration for a variety of technologies, thermal applications, and fuel types into existing building infrastructure.

The two most common CHP system configurations are: Gas turbine or engine with heat recovery unit and steam boiler with steam turbine

Course Content

This course is based upon the following US EPA document:

US Environmental Protection Agency’s publication, “CHP Project Development Handbook”

Please click on the above underlined hypertext to view, download or print the document for your study. Because of the large file size, we recommend that you first save the file to your computer by right clicking the mouse and choosing "Save Target As ...", and then open the file in Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Course Summary

This course discusses how to qualify a proposed CHP project, conducting a feasibility analysis of a CHP project, how tom procure a developer, financing for the project and siting requirements, and basic O&M considerations..

Related Links

For additional information related to this subject, please visit the following websites or web pages:

US Environmental Protection Agency

Quiz

Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.

DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.