CHP AND THE E-CAT Combined Heat and Power, or CHP is a very real
technology designed to, according to a report written by the
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts: “generate electricity
through microturbines…Microturbines are very small turbines
intended to generate electricity for homes or commercial
establishments, as well as for vehicles such as hybrid buses;
they are still in the research and design stage. CHP, also know
as cogeneration, produces electricity as well as heat for homes
and businesses from a single fuel source.” Cummins Power
Generation has ongoing research and development in this arena.
The work includes studies in capturing waste heat and using it
to generate electricity. Rather than producing the heat, it
converts it to electricity: “(This) typically involve(s) a
reciprocating-engine generator that produces electricity and a
heat-recovery system to capture the waste heat from the engine’s
exhaust and cooling system.” According to Cummins’ figures, this
will: “…consume only 50 percent of t