Analysis of cogeneration in the present energy framework

In this paper, a general vision of cogeneration penetration in the European Union is shown; after this, a case study is included, evaluating as a function of two factors (electricity and emission allowance prices) the suitability of installing, for an industry with a determined thermal demand, two different options. The first one is a gas turbine cogeneration plant generating steam through a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG). The second one consists of installing a natural gas boiler for steam production covering the electricity demand from the grid. The CO2 emissions from both options are compared regarding different kinds of generation mixes from the electricity grid in the case of using the industrial boiler; taking into account the advantages of using biomass in relation to emissions, a last comparison has been carried out considering a biomass boiler instead of the natural gas boiler.