The NSW government has released a number of free online tools to help organisations assess the feasibility of implementing cogeneration.
The Energy Saver Cogeneration Feasibility Guide recognises that each organisation has a unique energy and operational profile and is designed to help firms decide if they will benefit from cogeneration.
It says facilities most likely to benefit from cogeneration are those that use large quantities of thermal load (hot water, heat, steam or chilling) and electricity simultaneously.
Examples include hospitals, large commercial buildings, food and beverage processors, data centres and TAFEs.
Cogeneration and trigeneration can be relatively complex and capital intensive systems. The guide estimates capital costs range from around $150,000 for small-scale systems to millions of dollars for large-scale systems.
“These projects can have significant returns, especially when considered over
the life of the plant (around 20 years),” the guide states.
“Simple payback typically ranges from two to 10 years which is why an upgrade may be more suitable.”
The guide provides plenty of examples and case studies, and is also supported by a complementary Cogeneration Feasibility Tool, which allows for the input of a site’s energy and tariff data to help make an informed decision about the financial viability of cogeneration at a particular site.
To download the guide and tool see www.environment.nsw.gov.au