Standa Soucek

The most typical is natural gas, but a cogeneration unit can use and burn different types of fuel. Biogas is very popular, as is liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), liquefied natural gas (LNG), or right now there is a growing interest in hydrogen as a fuel for CHP units.

Jason Kaplan

Hydrogen gas is not readily available. However, cogeneration technology has evolved to a place where most engines can burn up to 40 % hydrogen without any real modification. Cogeneration is a bridge to get from now until hydrogen gas is available. A cogeneration unit placed in service today can burn natural gas, biogas, renewable gas, and blend in hydrogen, and then can be easily converted over to a 100% hydrogen engine when the fuel is available. Putting in a cogeneration unit today is not going to preclude you from using hydrogen, which is emission free, in the future.

Standa Soucek

To follow up what Jason said, infrastructure rules and code need to be created to properly operate and maintain the hydrogen. However, there are several pilot projects where they are using 100 % hydrogen and there are several CHP manufacturers who are spending development on the hydrogen. But hydrogen is a new fuel, the engine can be modified to burn the hydrogen, but it’s not there yet.