via Penn State
PHILADELPHIA — Penn State’s Department of Architectural Engineering has announced the release of an introductory guide for those in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania who are interested in conceiving, developing and financing ‘hybrid’ fossil fuel and renewable energy systems. The guide, titled “CHP-Enabled Renewable Energy in Microgrids in Pennsylvania: A Guidance Document for Conceiving Feasible Systems,” is based upon work supported by the Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), under the State Energy Program through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. These systems can provide on-site, natural-gas-fueled electric and thermal (e.g. hot water or steam) energy generation (combined heat and power — CHP) in combination with renewable energy resources such as solar photovoltaic arrays and battery storage systems. Such systems provide an economically and environmentally attractive means to utilize Marcellus shale gas in combination with renewable energy resources to promote economic growth, with higher efficiency and lower emissions than conventional systems. The target audience for such systems is owners of commercial and industrial buildings and properties with well-defined thermal loads, including retirement communities, multi-family buildings, hospitals, food processors and any large users of steam or hot water; commercial, institutional and industrial parks and campuses; and municipalities and rural co-op organizations.