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Background. CHP (Combined Heat & Power) was the subject of my Ph.D. research (1975-1979). I have continued to study the subject since, although at irregular intensity. The file "2009-1976.CHP Résumé of Aviel Verbruggen" provides an overview of the work and publications. The subject opened other research fields, such as electric power systems analysis, opportunities of decentralized power generation and its contentious relation to the central power grid, district heating and local energy planning. In the period 1986-1988 models for a detailed appraisal of investments in cogeneration by independent producers were developed (CoHePo and SimCHP), and the tariffs of power exhange with the grid were analyzed in depth. Many of the reports have been published in Dutch only, but some articles in the scientific literature were derived from this work too. In the period 1991-1993 I edited special series for Energy Policy and for The International Journal of Global Energy Issues on CHP. During that period I also transferred my know-how to VITO, where Nadine Dufait and Adwin Martens continued on some aspects. In 2002 I took up the research on CHP issues again with a study on the technical (with colleague M. De Paepe of the University of Ghent) and financial feasibility of CHP at natural gas expansion stations, generating electricity from the expanding gas and from dedicated gas engines to provide the necessary heating for the gas during the expansion phase. During 2002-2004 I intervened in the debate on the EU CHP Directive. The analysis was first published in papers and reports. Now it is available in the scientific literature. This was a tedious debate on getting the essentials on the table, avoiding the perverse effects embedded in the first directive drafts submitted by the EU Commission. The process of learning to understand well the various perspectives and interests took several rounds. Some papers have been influential in the debate, such as "CHP without Mystery". Also I did a special effort to edit the analysis in accessible journal articles published in 2007 and 2008. |