Cogeneration: History, Current Status, and Future Challenges

Cogeneration is defined as the sequential production of thermal and electrical energy from a single fuel source. Increasing costs of fuel and energy, together with the concerns for the environment due to pollutant emissions are driving factors for the implementation of cogeneration in industries. This paper discusses the history, current status and future of cogeneration. The discussion of cogeneration is based on the prime movers used in the cogeneration systems, and two case studies are provided as examples of the application of cogeneration in manufacturing and industrial plants.