Abstract
Covering the energy demands under environmental protection and satisfying economic and social restrictions, together with decreasing polluting emissions, are impetuous necessities, considering that over half of the pollutant emissions released in the environment are the effect of the processes of electricity and heat production from the classic thermoelectric powerplant. Increasing energy efficiency and intensifying the use of alternative resources are key objectives of global policy. In this context, a range of new energy technologies has been developed, based on alternative energy conversion systems, which have recently been used more and more often for the simultaneous production of electricity and heat. An intensification of the use of combined energy production correlated with the tendency towards the use of clean energy resources can be helpful in achieving the global objectives of increasing fuel diversity and ensuring energy demand. The chapter aims at describing the fuel cell technology, in particular those of the SOFC type, used in the CHP for stationary applications.
TopCogeneration Of Electricity And Thermal Energy - Combined Heat And Power (Chp)
Cogeneration, as already known, represents a cycle of transformation in which, starting from the fuel, it produces in the same plant and at the same time electricity and thermal energy, heat and power.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Combined Heat and Power (CHP): Cogeneration, as already known, represents a cycle of transformation in which, starting from the fuel, it produces in the same plant and at the same time electricity and thermal energy, heat and power.
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC): Can be defined generically as a ceramic multilayer electrochemical energy generating system, which uses a fuel and a gas oxidant and operates near the temperature of 800 ÷ 1000 °C.
Energy Service: Means a physical benefit, utility or good obtained from a combination of energy with an energy efficient technology or action which may include the operating, maintenance and control activities necessary for the provision of the service, which is provided on the basis of a contract and which, under normal conditions, has been shown to lead to an improvement in energy efficiency or primary energy savings, under verifiable and measurable or estimable conditions.
Energy Efficiency: Means the ratio of the result of performance, services, goods, or energy to the energy used for that purpose.
Improving Energy Efficiency: Means an increase in energy efficiency as a result of technological, behavioral, and/or economic changes.
Energy: Means all forms of energy products, fuels, heat, renewable energy, electricity or any other form of energy.