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Co-generation systems

Co-generation is the simultaneous production of electricity and useful heat. In a regular power plant, the heat remaining in the generation of electricity is released to the environment, mostly through cooling towers or cooling water, whereas in a cogeneration plant, the heat is recovered for use in homes, businesses, and industry.

Source: Energy transition - Cogeneration (https://wiki.energytransition.org/wiki/cogeneration/)

Such a system has valuable properties to enhance the efficiency of fuel use: the combined production of electricity and heat turns out to be more efficient than the separate production of these two forms of energy. Cogeneration plants can achieve energy efficiency levels of around 90%. 

All types of power plants can become cogeneration systems (e.g. steam power plants, gas turbines, combined cycle power plants, internal combustion engines) while the extracted heat largely varies in entity and temperature depending on technology, size, and operation parameters. The specific advantage of using steam turbines in comparison with the other prime movers is the option for using a wide variety of conventional as well as alternative fuels such as biomass or hydrogen. Gas turbine cogeneration has probably experienced the most rapid development in recent years due to the rapid progress in technology, a significant reduction in installation costs, and better environmental performance.     

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