Country Comparison of CHP Barriers

An analysis on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Technology (BMWi) from the year 2005 on the different shares of combined heat and power (CHP) in different European countries, could demonstrate that so far the economic heat potential of CHP in Germany is exhausted only about half and the power potential only about one third. At the same time there are European countries that have realised significantly higher CHP quotas years ago.

Against this background the project analysed the main structural, energy-economic and other reasons that have contributed to the different extend of the CHP units in the studied European neighbour states. In doing so, similarities as well as differences in CHP conditions in Denmark and the Netherlands, the two European countries with the highest CHP rate, were worked out exemplarily. Moreover, in the considered priority countries Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands, a survey of key actors in associations, institutes and academic institutions were carried out in order to include current and practical information from experts in the analysis.

As a result, the project was able to demonstrate where users see barriers to the dissemination of CHP in Germany and which energy-economic conditions led to the successful expansion abroad.