Report: CHP could cut carbon and heat homes

The use of combined heat and power (CHP) plants could produce enough electricity to power two-thirds of the UK's houses, according to a new study.

The report, Securing Power, was conducted by analysts from Poyry Energy Consulting and indicates that excess energy produced by the UK's industrial sites could potentially be reused to generate electricity.

In fact the researchers found that only nine potential sites could produce 13 gigawatts of power - the equivalent of eight nuclear power stations - by installing CHP, the Green Building Press reports.

Furthermore, the increased efficiency of the plants would mean that CO2 emissions could be reduced by ten million tonnes, as well as reducing gas imports.

Commenting on the report, John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace, said: "Energy technologies like industrial scale CHP beat nuclear and old-style coal plants on every front.

"They're cheaper, they're much quicker to construct, they'll cut more carbon emissions, they could halve gas imports and they won't leave behind an expensive radioactive legacy."

According to Greenpeace, CHP plants are currently established in Denmark and the Netherlands and are up to 95 per cent efficient, compared with the corresponding figure for old-fashioned plants currently used which stands at 38 per cent.