Assessment of the Combined Heat and Power System "Premium Power" Applications in California FINAL REPORT

This "Assessment of Combined Heat and Power Premium Power Applications in California" analyzes the prospects for combined heat and power (CHP) systems to provide high reliability power for customer sites, as well as improved energy efficiency and economic benefits. Through a series of three case studies, key trade-offs are analyzed with regard to the provision of black-out ridethrough capability with the CHP systems and the resulting ability to avoid the need for at least some diesel backup generator capacity located at the case study sites. Each of the selected sites currently have a CHP or combined heating, cooling, and power (CCHP) system1 in addition to diesel backup generators. In all cases the CHP/CCHP system have a small fraction of the electrical capacity of the diesel generators. Although none of the selected sites currently have the ability to run the CHP systems as emergency backup power, all could be retrofitted to provide this blackout ride-through capability, and new CHP systems can be installed with this capability. This report presents the details of the analysis and the results, and finishes by drawing some general conclusions. First, the structure and of the Pacific Region Combined Heat and Power Application Center (PRAC) is briefly described.