COGEN World Coalition highlights how cogeneration can support transition towards cleaner, more efficient and resilient energy systems
The COGEN World Coalition (CWC) – which brings leading manufacturers together with national and regional associations from around the globe – has unveiled a Vision Statement highlighting the important role that cogeneration technologies have to play in supporting the transition towards cleaner, more efficient and resilient energy systems, which facilitate the uptake of renewable energy sources whilst also delivering reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases.
The Vision Statement was presented during the Official Launch Event of the COGEN World Coalition, which took place on 10 May 2022. This special online event was attended by more than 100 energy professionals and industry leaders from numerous different countries.
The launch event was introduced by David Gardiner – Executive Director of the Combined Heat and Power Alliance (USA) and President of CWC, who emphasized the positive contribution that cogeneration (also known as Combined Heat and Power or CHP) can make in terms of ensuring the most efficient use of clean fuels like green hydrogen, biogas and biomethane.
“The COGEN World Coalition provides a platform for the CHP industry to raise awareness about the benefits of cogeneration in terms of enhancing efficiency, boosting resilience, integrating renewables and reducing emissions,” said Mr Gardiner. “The members of the CWC are committed to working with governments, international institutions and other relevant stakeholders in order to promote the use of cogeneration technologies in the context of an increasingly decarbonised energy system.”
The new Vision Statement of the COGEN World Coalition was presented by Enzo Losito Bellavigna – Chief Executive Officer of AB Energy and Vice President of CWC.
“Cogeneration can help to make energy systems more efficient, resilient, decentralised and carbon neutral – in line with the expectations of policy makers, scientists and people around the world,” said Mr Losito Bellavigna. “It is an enabling technology, which can empower industries and communities to generate their own heat and power in a flexible, reliable and affordable way.”
The CWC intends to engage in constructive dialogue with relevant bodies including the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the World Energy Council. The programme of CWC’s Official Launch Event included a keynote speech by Keisuke Sadamori, Director of Energy Markets and Security at the International Energy Agency (IEA), who spoke about the role of cogeneration in the context of global efforts to cut emissions and increase the uptake of renewable energy sources.
The event also included a Tour of the World which allowed attendees to learn about a variety of cogeneration projects based in different continents. Representatives of 2G Energy, AB Energy, Caterpillar, Clarke Energy and Sime Darby Energy Solutions presented examples of successful CHP projects from Germany, Malaysia, Malawi, Mexico and the USA.
Below you can read the Vision Statement of the COGEN World Coalition …
COGEN World Coalition – Vision Statement
In the framework of the UNFCCC, nearly 200 national governments have agreed to scale up efforts towards climate change resiliency, greenhouse gas emissions reductions and to providing the necessary finance for both. Recent reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change underline the urgent need to prioritise the phase out of greenhouse gas-intensive fuels and switch to efficient and increasingly low carbon and renewable energy sources. The International Energy Agency stresses the importance of energy efficiency as the “first fuel” in the fight against climate change.
Cogeneration is an essential tool to create the more efficient, resilient, decentralised and carbon neutral energy systems that are being demanded by policy makers, climate science, and people around the world. Cogeneration, also known as Combined Heat and Power (CHP), captures the heat that would otherwise be wasted in producing electricity to provide useful thermal energy for space heating, cooling, domestic hot water, and industrial processes.
Because it operates independently of national electricity grids, CHP delivers reliable heat and power, a critical factor as the world faces more climate-induced extreme weather events and grid disruptions. In combination with decarbonized fuels such as biomethane and clean hydrogen, cogeneration can deliver huge reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, whilst also supporting the widespread use of wind and solar energy.
Its superior efficiency means that cogeneration should be used in every clean fuel application to lower customer costs and maximize carbon reductions. By reducing reliance on carbon-intensive fuels, which are often imported, it also can help countries to become more energy independent. Cogeneration is an enabling technology, empowering citizens and industries to generate locally their own clean, efficient, reliable and affordable heat and power. It should therefore be seen as a vital solution for achieving the goal of net-zero emissions.
The cogeneration sector is committed to working with governments, international institutions and other relevant stakeholders in order to promote the widespread use of cogeneration technologies and take the actions needed to achieve this vision, including:
- bringing together heat, electricity and gas networks/infrastructures at local level;
- enabling the resource-efficient integration of substantial amounts of renewable energy – efficiently using low-carbon and renewable energy sources such as biomass, biomethane and hydrogen, fuels produced with CCUS (carbon capture, utilization, and storage), as well as geothermal, solar energy, waste heat and residual waste;
- complementing energy system electrification, by providing an affordable and reliable supply of electricity when and where it is needed; and
- supporting a cost-effective energy transition towards a sustainable future, fostering jobs and prosperity for citizens, small businesses, industry and local communities.
Published: 10 May 2022