Concept of Cogeneration
Summary on Cogeneration
Cogeneration is the simultaneous production of power/electricity, hot water, and/or steam from one fuel. Cogeneration plant can reach system efficiencies exceeding 60%. Cogeneration is an enery-efficient, environmentally-friendly method of producing electricity steam and/or hot water at the same time, in one process with one fuel. It is a way of recycling energy.
Molasses which is obtained from sugar is used together with fossil fuel to produce the heat energy like steam and hot water. This process produces electricity which can be used in the power plant itself or be sold on a wider range that is to the population. The heat energy can be used to burn bagasse to produce ethanol.
It reduces fuel cost. This type of power can be used in various domains like schools, commercial laundries, nursing homes and in many others. It is Energy independence from foreign suppliers. Cogeneration can result in a cleaner, greener, healthier environment as lower emissions to the environment, in particular of CO2, the main greenhouse gas. In some cases, biomass fuels and some waste materials such as refinery gases, process or agricultural waste are used. These substances which serve as fuels for cogeneration schemes, increases the cost-effectiveness and reduces the need for waste disposal. It is moreover an opportunity to move towards more decentralized forms of electricity generation, where plants are designed to meet the needs of local consumers, providing high efficiency, avoiding transmission losses and increasing flexibility in system use. This will particularly be the case if natural gas is the energy carrier.
Cogeneration is a fairly new technology in Africa, and only a few countries have ventured into the technology. Mauritius is the leader in Africa's cogeneration projects.
"Mauritius meets close to 40% of its electricity needs from cogeneration, of which 25% is from bagasse (sugar cane waste)," – Stephen Mutimba (MD for sustainable energy in
Cogeneration is the simultaneous production of power/electricity, hot water, and/or steam from one fuel. Cogeneration plant can reach system efficiencies exceeding 60%. Cogeneration is an enery-efficient, environmentally-friendly method of producing electricity steam and/or hot water at the same time, in one process with one fuel. It is a way of recycling energy.
Molasses which is obtained from sugar is used together with fossil fuel to produce the heat energy like steam and hot water. This process produces electricity which can be used in the power plant itself or be sold on a wider range that is to the population. The heat energy can be used to burn bagasse to produce ethanol.
It reduces fuel cost. This type of power can be used in various domains like schools, commercial laundries, nursing homes and in many others. It is Energy independence from foreign suppliers. Cogeneration can result in a cleaner, greener, healthier environment as lower emissions to the environment, in particular of CO2, the main greenhouse gas. In some cases, biomass fuels and some waste materials such as refinery gases, process or agricultural waste are used. These substances which serve as fuels for cogeneration schemes, increases the cost-effectiveness and reduces the need for waste disposal. It is moreover an opportunity to move towards more decentralized forms of electricity generation, where plants are designed to meet the needs of local consumers, providing high efficiency, avoiding transmission losses and increasing flexibility in system use. This will particularly be the case if natural gas is the energy carrier.
Cogeneration is a fairly new technology in Africa, and only a few countries have ventured into the technology. Mauritius is the leader in Africa's cogeneration projects.
"Mauritius meets close to 40% of its electricity needs from cogeneration, of which 25% is from bagasse (sugar cane waste)," – Stephen Mutimba (MD for sustainable energy in