FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions.
Why is Waste Heat to Power zero emission? How does it differ from Combined Heat and Power?
Other frequently asked questions
The Heat is Power Association (HiP) is the industry-led organization focused exclusively on advancing waste heat to power (WHP) as a clean, renewable electricity resource through advocacy, outreach, and productive alliances.
Waste heat is an energy resource and is the term used for thermal energy that is generated as a by-product of an activity such as an industrial process. Similar to “natural” heat energy resources like solar and geothermal, the excess thermal energy (or wasted heat) produced by industrial processes can be captured and converted to usable energy (or electric power) via appropriate technology. Waste heat also includes excess industrial pressure that is otherwise unutilized and can provide useful electrical or mechanical energy via expansion.
Waste heat to Power (WHP) uses a variety of technologies that capture waste heat via heat exchangers and convert it to electricity: Steam Turbine and Organic Rankine Cycle are the two leading technologies. Turboexpanders are used to convert waste pressure to electricity.
Both waste heat to power (WHP) and combined heat to power (CHP) capture and utilize a waste heat resource.
CHP systems generate electricity first and then capture the waste heat from the electric generation process for useful thermal purposes, e.g. heat for industrial processes or building HVAC systems.
Industry utilizes 30% of energy in the U.S. and 20% – 30% of energy consumed by industry is lost to the atmosphere as waste heat, ~ 5-13 quadrillion BTU/yr, at a cost of $20B-$60B/year.
A DOE commissioned study “Waste Heat to Power Market Assessment March 2015”, gauges there is an opportunity to produce 21 GW of power from waste heat.
Waste heat is a zero-emission energy resource. The heat will be generated regardless of whether the wasted portion is captured, and it is converted into electricity with no fuel. Because no additional fuel is used, there are no incremental emissions associated with power production from industrial waste heat.
WHP provides reliable on-site power at the plant where it is co-located and eliminates the requirement for electricity purchases from the grid. WHP is a critical tool in decarbonizing the U.S. economy. In the highly energy intensive industrial sector, WHP lowers carbon intensity and serves as a critical tool to help industry meet net zero emission goals by 2050. With the IRA’s recent extension of the investment tax credit for WHP, electricity from WHP technology can be delivered at costs competitive with, or better than, incumbent sources of power which ensures a strong market demand for the technology and its decarbonization benefits.
