On Monday, March 16th, I’ll be speaking about A Fresh Approach for Developing New Cogeneration Markets in a Carbon-Constrained World to the members of The Electrical Generating Systems Association (EGSA) at their Annual Spring Convention in San Antonio, Texas.
Their website (www.egsa.org) tells us that:
“The Electrical Generating Systems Association (EGSA) is the world’s largest organization exclusively dedicated to On-Site Power Generation. The Association is comprised of over 500 companies—Manufacturers, Distributor/Dealers, Contractors/Integrators, Manufacturer’s Representatives, Consulting & Specifying Engineers, Service firms, End-Users and others—throughout the U.S. and around the world that make, sell, distribute and use On-Site Power generation technology and equipment, including generators, engines, switchgear, controls, voltage regulators, governors and much more”.
I’ve been familiar with the work of EGSA members for over 35 years, since I first arrived in Canada from the UK and as a cogeneration sales engineer in the United States’ engine industry. They are my peers and I’m honored by the opportunity to speak to them on what I consider to be a crucial topic in these challenging climate change and power generation times.
Speaking from personal experience and an in-depth knowledge of the greenhouse gas threat, there’s no doubt in my mind that cogeneration (aka CHP or combined heat and power) is the most important near-term baseload power application we can deploy today. But we must begin seeing applications as part of a much bigger greenhouse gas management picture — beyond individual technologies and the limiting industrial and campus applications we hear so much about.
Why must we do this, what is the bigger picture, what are the applications, and how might we grow this new market given the regulatory environment that’s taking shape? I have some ideas on the subject and I’m looking forward to hearing what my peers have to say about them.
More later …
29. March 2009 at 9:22 PM
I like how you added the twitter feed into your web site. Very creative and useful.
30. March 2009 at 8:46 AM
DW – Thank you for visiting. Hope you continue to find the content interesting. We’ll be adding more soon, stay tuned …
18. June 2009 at 2:53 PM
Cogeneration/CHP is an essential part of crafting a sustainable energy future. I’d like CHP to become a routine part of utility energy resource acquisition plans. In particular, energy plan should be based on consideration of how CHP benefits the utility system. Important opportunities are lost each time a utility acquires energy resources without due regard for when and how CHP would cost less than adding central generation or wires. Using a planning method known as “distributed resource planning” is key to making CHP a larger part of our energy future.
19. June 2009 at 12:30 PM
Thank you for your thoughts, Deb.
Distributed Resource Planning in the State Public Service Commissions would be a key outcome of the process I have outlined in the EGSA Powerline magazine, May/June 2009 issue, “Cogeneration and Climate Change” article posted on the main Third Planet website.
In the next few days Third Planet will serialize a version of the article here on the blog, seeking online comments, and initiating an ongoing conversation about the role of combined heat and power in our energy future.
Your comments help that process. If we work on conversation, organization and education we will have taken the important first steps toward a climate-friendly, sustainable energy future.
I look forward to your continuing participation.