Associations London & South East

A closer look at CHPA

The Combined Heat and Power Association (CHPA)

The Combined Heat and Power Association (CHPA) is the leading advocate of an integrated approach to delivering energy services using combined heat and power and district heating and cooling.

CHPA is an industry leader and brings together interested parties from across the sector to develop combined heat and power and district heating and cooling technologies.

The company work across four areas including influencing energy, planning and procurement policy, as well as communicating policy ideas and market research through reports, briefings, events and training. The firm also works with CHPA members and stakeholders to help drive improvement and innovation across the sector. Finally the company contributes to maintaining the reputation of the sector by building understanding and capacity through our policy and market development activities.

The CHPA was initially formed in 1966 as the District Heating Association in a bid to publicise the social, health and welfare benefits of district heating. From its inception the company has worked closely with Government and has consistently provided a hub for suppliers, customers, policy makers and local authorities.

Since 1966 climate change has been recognised and has come to the forefront of society and has consequently affected commercial decision making. Technologies have emerged in line with the widespread desire to slow climate change. The gas-fired CHP is now accompanied by biomass, biogas, anaerobic digestion, energy from waste, fuel cells; these technological and societal changes affected the Association’s name change; becoming the CHPA in 1985.

The CHPA aims to raise awareness about the sector and illustrate the many benefits of an integrated approach to delivering energy. The firm understands the importance of their role as energy prices continue to rise and fuel poverty and poor health caused by inadequate domestic heating is ever-present in today’s society.

The CHPA aim to decarbonise the heat sector in an efficient way and are currently involved in a number of campaigns to improve energy usage. The firm is currently campaigning for “Less Waste, More Jobs and Growth” which aims to reduce the increased taxation energy-efficient industrial sites now face. This campaign calls the government to exempt highly-efficient CHP plant from the Carbon Price Support tax, in turn reversing half of the energy tax rises facing these industrial sites.

The Combined Heat and Power Association (CHPA)

Combined heat and power supplies electricity, process heat and steam can reduce a business’ energy demands by up to 30% as well as reduce their emissions by more than 15 million tonnes of C02 each year. More than 130,000 jobs in the UK are located on sites which use combined heat and power to meet their energy needs and so the success of this campaign could have positive results for many companies in the sector.

CHPA have members across various sectors including Consultancy, Large Scale CHP, Energy Services, Operation and Maintenance, Small Scale CHP, CHP Users, Micro CHP, Community Heating, Manufacturers as well as Legal and Financial Services.

The firm has over 100 members making it the largest industry body in the UK to represent combined heat and power and district heating in the UK. Those who have Combined Heat and Power or district heating as an established or growing part of their business can benefit from joining CHPA.

Members have access to an extensive range of support including policy updates, market updates and access to professional expertise of Association staff. Those who join also have the opportunity to participate in members’ only forums, engage in debate and shape best practice within industry by sharing your experiences. CHPA can help companies raise their profiles and assist members in networking with key contacts, as well as showcase their work to others in the industry.

Combined heat and power (CHP) integrates the production of usable heat and power – electricity – in one single, highly efficient process. CHP generates electricity whilst also capturing usable heat that is produced in this process. This contrasts with conventional ways of generating electricity where vast amounts of heat are simply wasted. In today’s coal and gas fired power stations, up to two thirds of the overall energy consumed is lost in this way, often seen as a cloud of steam rising from cooling towers.

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