Distributed Generation / Combined Heat and Power

Combined heat and power (CHP), or cogeneration, is an efficient, clean, and reliable method of generating power and thermal energy from a single fuel source. A CHP system designed to meet the thermal and electrical base loads of a facility can greatly increase the facility's operational efficiency and decrease energy costs. As an additional benefit, CHP reduces the emission of greenhouse gases, which may contribute to global climate change.

For more than 15 years, Southern Research has demonstrated and independently evaluated the impact of distributed generation and combined heat and power technologies. Specifically, we have evaluated the performance as well as the economic and emissions impacts of fuel cells, microturbines, and internal combustion engines (ICE) operating on a variety of renewable and fossil fuels.

Technologies Evaluated by Southern Research in Cooperation with the EPA Environmental Technology Verification Program (ETV)

Additionally, Southern Research has worked with a large stakeholder community, funded by the Association of State Energy Research and Technology Transfer Institutions (ASERTII), to develop a nationally accepted test protocol for the field evaluation of distributed generation/combined heat and power technologies. Read more.