Simultaneous production of electricity and thermal or mechanical energy from the same fuel source.
Generation of electricity and useful thermal energy simultaneously from a common fuel source. The rejected heat from industrial processes can be used to power an electric generator. Surplus heat from an electric generator can be used for industrial processes, or for heating purposes.
In practical terms, what cogeneration usually entails is the use of what would otherwise be wasted heat (such as a manufacturing plant’s exhaust) to produce additional energy benefit, such as to provide heat or electricity for the building in which it is operating.
Cogeneration is the process of generating electricity and heat (such as steam) simultaneously through the optimal efficient use of the fuel. There are two main technologies for generation electricity and steam through cogeneration: a steam turbine and a gas turbine. The first is for use in industrial plants that mostly need steam whilst the second is used more prominently in industrial plants that need more electricity. When industries that lean towards more steam generate steam and electricity through the cogeneration process with a steam turbine, it is possible to reach a fuel efficiency of about 80% and an effective electricity efficiency of 68%, which compares to the efficiency of using natural gas in a CCGT of about 58% and of coal that runs between 30%-40% efficiency