Provision of Technical, Economic and Financial Support in relation to the Certification of High Efficiency Combined Heat and Power Plants

Tender description

The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (“CRU”) is Ireland’s independent energy and water regulator. The CRU was originally established as the Commission for Energy Regulation (“CER”) in 1999. The CRU’s mission is to protect the public interest in Water, Energy and Energy Safety. The work of the CRU impacts every Irish home and business. The sectors we regulate underpin Irish economic competitiveness, investment and growth, while also contribute to our international obligations to address climate change. The CRU is committed to playing its role to help deliver a secure, low carbon future at the least possible cost, while ensuring energy is supplied safely, empowered and protected customers pay reasonable prices and we deliver a sustainable, reliable and efficient future for energy and water. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) is the appointed body to certify high-efficiency CHP (HE CHP) as set out in SI 298, 299 and 499 of 2009. The process of applying for certification is covered by CRU documents CER/12/125, CER/12/184 and CER/16/153. The certification process is designed to ensure that the plant meets the high efficiency criteria as set out in legislation. The HE CHP certification process is designed to assess whether heat and electricity from a CHP plant meets the high efficiency criteria set out in EU and Irish legislation. HE CHP certification is defined on the basis of a demonstrable demand for 'useful heat' and the Primary Energy Savings (PES) achieved versus alternative non-CHP solutions. If the overall efficiency exceeds a defined level of: • 80% for “Combined cycle gas turbines with heat recovery” and “Steam condensing extraction turbines-based plants”; or • 75% for other technologies. then all the electricity from the plant is taken into account in the PES calculation