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WASHINGTON, DC – Last week, Congressmen Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), Peter Welch (D-VT), David McKinkley (R-WV), and Paul Tonko (D-NY) introduced H.R. 6949, the CHP Support Act, to amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act and reauthorize an existing Department of Energy (DOE) program, the Combined Heat and Power Technical Assistance Partnerships (CHP TAPs), from FY18 to FY22. This program encourages the use of energy efficient technologies by generating electricity and capturing heat (that would otherwise be wasted) to provide useful thermal energy, which can ultimately save consumers money and reduce energy use.

While traditional electricity generation loses a lot of energy in the form of heat or steam discharged into the atmosphere, CHP allows facilities or buildings to capture that previously wasted energy and use it for space heating, cooling, hot water, or industrial processes. The DOE program has seven regional partnerships that promote the recycled energy materials by identifying and facilitating clean energy projects, as well as providing support to businesses, hospitals, military bases, manufacturing facilities, and more that are seeking a technically sound and economically beneficial energy source.

“Combined heat and power has enormous potential to improve energy efficiency, economic competitiveness, and grid resilience. DOE's CHP Technical Assistance Partnerships are essential to supporting potential and existing projects, which will enable commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities to understand the benefits of cogeneration. Continued focus in this area enables a high quality, efficient, and secure power source to grow its usage in the marketplace,” said Congressman Tonko. “I want to thank my colleagues Reps. Kinzinger, McKinley, and Welch for advancing this bipartisan effort.”

“Energy independence is critically important to our national security, and in order to reach our goal, we must have diverse sources of energy and the proper infrastructures to deliver safe, reliable, and clean resources,” said Congressman Kinzinger. “I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation with my colleagues to reaffirm our commitment to the CHP TAPs and encourage greater use of these technologies that bring economic and environmental benefits to America’s energy and innovation in our technologies.

“Investing in energy efficiency saves money, creates jobs, and improves the environment,” said Congressman Welch. “This bipartisan legislation will save Vermonters money on energy bills, reduce harmful carbon emissions, and increase the economic competitiveness of our forest products industry.”

The CHP Support Act (H.R. 6949) was introduced last week as a companion bill to the Senate bill, S. 2142, introduced by Senator Angus King (I-ME) last year.

This legislation is supported by the Alliance for Industrial Efficiency, Alliance to Save Energy (ASE), American Chemistry Council (ACC), and the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).