(Credit: Caterpillar)In an effort to help support companies goals to reduce energy costs, increase energy resiliency and help with sustainability initiatives, Caterpillar is offering new 1.5 megawatt and 2 megawatt power nodes as part of its combined heat and power systems (CHP).
Most Cat natural gas-fueled engines can be configured with a CHP or a combined, cooling, heat and power system (CCHP) to simultaneously generate power for electrical loads while capturing waste heat. That can be repurposed as thermal energy for a facility’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning needs, Caterpillar says.
The new Cat G3512H and Cat G3516H natural gas generators help simplify the design, installation and commissioning of the CHP applications, the company says. They also can eliminate the need for outsourcing engineering and project management.
Caterpillar says the CHP and CCHP systems can provide energy efficiencies of up to 90%, compared with grid power and traditional boilers. The EPA says the average efficiency of fossil-fueled power plants in the United States is 33% and that two-thirds of the energy they produce is wasted into the atmosphere. By recovering that heat is where CHP systems achieve that much higher efficiency rate.
The CHP market is expected to grow to $35.2 billion by 2026, according to a recent report by MarketsandMarkets.
The new Cat products help advance implementation of the systems by including generator sets, heat recovery and dissipation systems, combustion and ventilation air systems, master controls and balance of plant components. The Platforms have standardized configurations and can be customized for radiator, exhaust, air and fuel systems, Caterpillar says.
The products can also be equipped with Cat Connect Remote Asset Monitoring, which provides data insights, reporting and alerts.
Caterpillar has recently produced other systems to help with improving efficiency and sustainability. Earlier this year the company began offering Cat generator sets that are capable of operating with 100% hydrogen, including green hydrogen.
The Cat G3512H and Cat G3516H are now available in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
