Cogeneration (Combined Heat and Power)
In a conventional power station, only about 30% of the energy in the fuel is
converted to useful electrical energy. Most of the energy is simply wasted as
heat.
The basic idea of combined heat and power (CHP) is to use the waste heat to
provide useful hot water and heating for public buildings and homes.
However, CHP
will only work effectively with power stations situated close to where the
heat is to be used. This would mean replacing a few large,
centralised power stations with lots of small ones - i.e. each town or village
would need its own small power station.
Q: |
Why must CHP power stations be close to where the heat is to be used? |
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A: The hot water or steam from the power station must be pumped through pipes to heat the houses. If the power station is too far from the houses, all the heat will be lost.
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