Advantages of TECO
TECO owns and operates a combined heat and power based (CHP) district energy system, which leads to increased energy efficiency, decreased emissions, and increased benefits for both customers and the community.
Reliability
- Exceptionally reliable: Automated and monitored around the clock, TECO has maintained high reliability for its customers.
- Resilient: TECO’s on-site electic generation can produce enough electricity to power its Central Plant, allowing chillers and boilers to serve customers even if the electrcity grid goes down.
High value
- Cost-effective: TECO’s economy of scale allows it to purchase electricity and gas at lower prices than a typical single institution, all while operating the equipment at best-in-class efficiences. TECO implemented a chilled water optimization project in 2020 that has saved over $2.5 million in four years.
- Energy-efficient: TECO’s CHP system recycles waste heat from power generation to produce cooling and heating – all from a single fuel source.
- Environmentally sound: Customers don’t have to burn fuels or store refrigerants and chemicals on-site. TECO takes care of that at its plants, employing more stringent emission controls than individual buildings.
Convenient
- High-quality customer service: TECO team members are familiar with customer facilities and are always available to answer questions and provide support.
- Easy operation and maintenance: By outsourcing the capital expenditure of chillers and boilers, plus the maintenance and operation of the equipment, customers can focus on what they do best.
- Flexible design: With less space allocated for cooling and heating equipment, architects and engineers have greater design flexibility for new builds and renovations.
The Extra Benefits of CHP
TECO’s CHP plant operates at very high efficiency. TECO’s CHP unit utilizes the waste heat from the exhaust of the gas turbine – effectively recycling it – to help produce heating and cooling.
Traditional power plants effectively used just one-third of the fuel they burned to produce electricity. Two-thirds of the energy would end up being “wasted” up the smokestack. CHP use enables TECO to decrease annual fossil fuel use, reduce its annual emissions of nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide, and cut greenhouse gas emissions.
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