We break down the steps to designing a hydrogen-ready CHP unit, getting your business ready for a hydrogen-powered future.
Investing in the future of energy at your organisation can be daunting. As the energy landscape continues to develop at a rapid pace, it can be difficult to know which solutions will be right for your business in five or ten years, or beyond.
The energy sector is responding to this challenge. To meet the changing needs of business energy today, new developments are getting ready for a low-carbon future. Hydrogen-ready Combined Heat and Power (CHP) is a great example of this.
Capable of running on blended fuels, or switching fuels without the need for unit replacement, hydrogen-ready CHP is a great way to prepare your business for the transition to net zero. Below, we’ve broken down how we help organisations to design hydrogen-ready CHP units that work for them.
Combined Heat and Power (CHP) is an efficient way to generate heat and power at your site simultaneously. By recovering the heat generated from electricity generation, CHP can simplify your energy portfolio by bringing your heating and electricity into one place.
Our CHP units can run on a single or blended fuel, utilising dual gas trains to give you maximum flexibility. And as part of this, we can offer up to 100% hydrogen blend to power your CHP unit.
Hydrogen CHP can help you to progress your pathway to net zero by reducing the total amount of carbon emissions in your energy estate. By choosing to fuel your CHP unit with green hydrogen or other low-carbon hydrogen options instead of continuing to invest in natural gas from the grid, you can begin to lower the quantity of carbon-intensive energy that your business requires to function.
If you’re ready to transition to hydrogen CHP, we can help. Our team are experts in designing CHP that works for the unique needs of your business, based on your existing energy demand and estate.
We’ll start by evaluating your current energy portfolio from two perspectives. Firstly, we’ll ask – or measure, if you’re unsure – your heat and power demand. This helps us to assess how large your CHP system should be, so you can avoid over-generating electricity or heat.
Secondly, we’ll explore what the rest of your energy system looks like. Your CHP unit should be integrated into your estate alongside your other assets, such as Heat Pumps, boilers or chillers.
Once we’ve established an initial idea of what your CHP unit could look like, we’ll develop it into a full project proposal. We’ll need to know more about your future plans and the physical constraints of the proposed CHP location – whether within an existing boiler room, or requiring the construction of an Energy Centre. We’ll also agree how you’ll finance your CHP unit, and explore your fuel options.
At the point that you’re considering transitioning to hydrogen CHP, you might not yet be ready for 100% hydrogen. That doesn’t have to stop you from planning your future transition – or installing a system that’s capable of running on multiple fuels.
As a result of our units’ dual gas trains, we can help you to transition between fuels whenever you’re ready. You could start with 100% natural gas, LPG or biogas, and swap to 100% hydrogen at a later date. Alternatively, you could run on a lower blend of hydrogen and increase the amount of hydrogen you use in future.
Our highly-skilled engineers are on hand to help you to switch fuels at the right time for your organisation – including any potential infrastructure needs. So, no matter which option you choose now, you can still transition to hydrogen later.
If you’re looking for efficient heat and power generation which makes the most of emerging hydrogen technology, hydrogen CHP could be right for you.
Our team of CHP experts can help you to design a system that meets your unique needs. We have over 35 years of experience with CHP, and as part of Centrica plc, we’re proud to be involved in pioneering hydrogen project development. So, you’ll know that by partnering with us, you’re choosing expertise in the field.
To get started on your journey to hydrogen CHP, contact our team today. Or, to find out more about designing a hydrogen-ready CHP system, download our CHP Design Guide.
Aaron Parker
Aaron Parker is Principal Business Development Manager - Heat and Mechanical Solutions at Centrica Business Solutions. He supports customers across a range of industries - including public sector, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, hotels, leisure and manufacturing - to reduce their energy costs and carbon emissions. He has over a decade of experience within business development and two decades within engineering solutions.
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