Combined Heat and Power Protocol for Uniform Methods Project

NREL developed a protocol that provides a comprehensive method for estimating energy impacts from combined heat and power (CHP) systems at the customer side of the meter.

Photo of the NREL Energy Information Systems Integration Facility's roof, which features a CHP system.

The protocol's focus on "site energy" rather than "source energy" is consistent with the scope and other protocols developed for the Uniform Methods Project (UMP).

Most CHP energy efficiency evaluations focus on determining the energy-savings impact of the installed measure. NREL's protocol defines a CHP measure as a system that sequentially generates both electrical energy and useful thermal energy from one fuel source at a host customer's facility. It is aimed primarily at evaluators and administrators of ratepayer-funded CHP programs. However, project developers may find the protocol useful to understand how CHP projects are evaluated.

Impact

NREL's protocol offers ways to:

Calculate additional metrics, such as source energy impacts or emissions impacts, based on the CHP site's energy impacts
Assess CHP fuel impacts
Calculate several performance metrics for installed CHP systems
Evaluate different fuel types through the use of energy content for different fuels.

Publication

For more information about this project, read Combined Heat and Power — The Uniform Methods Project: Methods for Determining Energy-Efficiency Savings for Specific Measure.

Capabilities

Learn more about NREL's manufacturing analysis capabilities.