Guide to assessing viability of cogeneration projects published by ENER-G

Manchester, UK — Cogeneration specialist ENER-G has published a free guide to assessing the economic feasibility of combined heat and power (CHP) projects.

The guide, which is available to download, details the steps that building engineers and energy and facilities managers should take to prove the viability of a proposed CHP scheme to investors or board members.

A good quality CHP system will typically generate a return on investment within three to five years, and generate cost savings over 15 years or more. This, however, depends on ensuring that CHP is the right solution for the particular site and sizing the system accurately to optimise efficiency and performance.

ENER-G

Wind briefly sets record as source for electricity in U.S.

Wind briefly powered more than 50 percent of electric demand on Feb. 12, the 14-state Southwest Power Pool (SPP) said, for the first time on any North American power grid.

SPP coordinates the flow of electricity on the high voltage power lines from Montana and North Dakota to New Mexico, Texas and Louisiana.

Wind power in the SPP region has grown significantly to over 16,000 MW currently from less than 400 megawatts in the early 2000s and is expected to continue growing. One megawatt can power about 1,000 homes.

Climate Central

Hard times for Kenyans as electricity prices go up, again

Kenyans should brace for another round of power price hikes following the weakening of the shilling against the US dollar which has seen a rise in foreign exchange levy component of the monthly electricity bill. In its latest review of some cost components that make up the monthly bills, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) increased the foreign exchange levy to Sh1.28 per unit of electricity for power consumed in February. This is a steep rise from 84 cents per unit charged for electricity consumed in January.

Standard Digital

California businesses don’t benefit from abundance of electricity

California likely is the leading state for promoting energy efficient operations and renewable energy generation. It seems logical that this would lead, over time, to lower electric bills for its businesses.

It’s logical – but wrong. In fact, ratepayers in the state are paying a lot more than those elsewhere, according to a story in the Arizona Daily Sun. The reason is simple: Though subscribers are cutting their use – through voluntary steps and state mandates – rate hikes to finance power plants already are on the books. The story says that those increases will come, regardless of the fact that the extra capacity is not needed.

Energy Manager Today

First private coal power station bidders announced

Cape Town – Private bidders Thabametsi and Khanyisa won the first bid window to build South Africa’s first independent coal-fired power stations, Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson said on Monday at a media briefing in Cape Town.

Fin 24