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DEQ CHP/DER Resources and Links

Federal Agency Programs and Resources

DOE Distributed Energy Program Homepage is working with industry stakeholders to streamline the integration of distributed energy systems with the electricity grid.

U.S. EPA CHP Partnership is a voluntary program designed to foster cost-effective CHP projects. Through the Partnership, EPA engages the CHP industry, state and local governments, and other stakeholders in cooperative relationships to expand the use of CHP. Industry Partners include facilities in the industrial, commercial, district energy, and institutional sectors, as well as project developers and equipment suppliers. State and Local Partners include state and local energy, environmental, and economic development agencies.

U.S. EPA Coalbed Methane Outreach Program is a voluntary program whose goal is to reduce methane emissions from coal mining activities by promoting the profitable recovery and use of coal mine methane to mitigate climate change, improve mine safety and productivity, and generate revenues and cost savings.

U.S. EPA Landfill Methane Outreach Program is a voluntary assistance and partnership program that promotes the use of landfill gas as a renewable energy source. The site includes access to various information relevant to landfill methane energy recovery including a database of projects, landfills seeking projects, technical documents, project development handbook, fact sheets, and case studies, among other resources.

U.S. EPA/USDA/DOE AgStar Program is a voluntary effort that encourages the use of methane recovery (biogas) technologies at confined animal feeding operations that manage manure as liquids or slurries. These technologies reduce methane emissions while achieving other environmental benefits.

Regional CHP Application Centers and Initiatives

Mid-Atlantic CHP Application Center is based at the University of Maryland and was created with DOE funding to promote the use of CHP in the Mid-Atlantic Region (VA, WV, MD, DC, DE, PA, and NJ). The Center works to reduce the perceived risk of CHP to users, foster CHP as a viable technical and economic option for the participating region, and to capitalize on existing regional CHP resources. See the Center's June 2007 presentation on CHP.

Intermountain CHP Application Center is promoting greater adoption of combined heating, cooling and power (CHP) technologies in AZ, CO, NM, UT, and WY.

Midwest CHP Application Center was established with DOE support as a partnership of the University of Illinois at Chicago Energy Resources Center and the Gas Technology Institute to provide application assistance, technology information, and educational support in the eight Midwest states of IN, IL, IA, MI, MN, MO, OH, and WI. The Center produced a very useful CHP Resource Guide.

Northeast CHP Application Center and Northeast CHP Initiative offers application assistance, technology information, and educational support necessary to reduce perceived risks by architects and engineering companies, energy service companies, and building owners; and to foster CHP systems as technically, economically, and environmentally viable options. The Northeast region includes New York and the New England states.

Pacific Region CHP Application Center is based in California and was created with funding from the DOE to promote the use of CHP in the Pacific Region (CA, HI, NV).

Pacific Southwest CHP Initiative coordinates a public/private interaction whose objective is to increase the development and use of cost-effective and environmentally preferred combined cooling, heating and power technologies throughout the pacific southwest region, including AZ, CA, HI, and NV..

Southeast CHP Initiative is an ad hoc group supporting CHP expansion while focusing on opportunities and challenges in the Southeastern United States.

Interconnection Standards

FERC Generation Interconnection

IEEE 1547 Interconnection Standard (DOE Distribution & Interconnection IEEE Standards page)
The IEEE Standards Board approved IEEE 1547 Standard for Interconnecting Distributed Resources With Electric Power Systems on June 12, 2

Virginia State Corporation Commission regulations govern net energy metering, including interconnection procedures and standards, for small residential (no greater than 10 kW) and business (no greater than 500 kW) solar, wind, and small hydropower generators. See 20 VAC 5-315-10 et seq.

Electric Utilities in Virginia

See here for electric utility service area map. (Note map references--Delmarva Power & Light is Conectiv, Old Dominion Power is Kentucky Utilities, Potomac Edison is Allegheny Power, and Virginia Power is Dominion Virginia Power.)

  • Allegheny Power
    Link to company's main page.
  • American Electric Power
    Links to AEP's interconnection brochure and provides contact information for the company's Distributed Generation Coordinator.
  • Conectiv
    Conectiv Power Delivery third party supplier program page for Virginia.
  • Dominion Virginia Power
    Links to interconnection procedures, technical requirements, and request form.
  • Kentucky Utilities/Old Dominion Power
    Link is to KU's main page.
  • Tennessee Valley Authority
    TVA's interconnection page including Customer Guide to Interconnection of Generating Plants.
  • PJM Interconnection
    PJM Interconnection is a regional transmission organization that coordinates the movement of electricity through parts or all of seven states (including parts of Virginia) and the District of Columbia. PJM operates wholesale electricity markets and manages a regional planning process for electrical generation and transmission expansion.

Electric Cooperatives Operating in Virginia

Municipal Electric Utilities

Industry Associations

U.S. Combined Heat and Power Association brings together diverse market interests to promote the growth of clean, efficient CHP in the United States. It is a private, non-profit association, formed in 1999 to promote the merits of CHP and achieve public policy support.

Critical Power Coalition was formed by leading providers and users of critical-power products and services. Over the course of the past decade, telecommunications facilities, financial institutions, hospitals, airports, data centers, emergency response centers, manufacturing plants, and other U.S. enterprises and government agencies have invested some $250 billion in systems and services to ensure the uninterrupted supply of high-quality power to critical facilities and equipment when grid power fails. CPC is focused on the urgent policy, technology, and regulatory issues that must be addressed to ensure the quality, reliability, and continuity of power where it is needed the most.

Distributed Power Coalition of America is an advocacy organization committed to advancing the use of distributed power. Members include: electric and gas utilities; consumers; distributed power equipment manufacturers and suppliers; natural gas transmission pipeline companies; gas and electric marketers; and research organizations. The DPCA was founded by these companies to aggressively advocate the concept of distributed power.

Energy Solutions Center Distributed Energy Consortium provides a distributed energy tutorial, applications guide, links to screening and evaluation software, and other related information. It is operated by the Energy Solutions Center, a consortium of energy utilities, municipal energy authorities, and technology developers and vendors working to accelerate the commercialization and market acceptance of efficient, gas-fueled technologies.

International District Energy Association fosters the success of its members as leaders in providing reliable, economical, efficient and environmentally sound district energy services. Its vision is to promote energy efficiency and environmental quality through the advancement of district heating, district cooling and cogeneration/CHP.

World Alliance for Decentralized Energy was launched by a group of major companies and national industry associations to accelerate the development of high efficiency cogeneration/CHP and decentralized renewable energy systems that can deliver substantial economic and environmental benefits worldwide.

Other Organizations' Resources (States, Academe, Non-Governmental Organizations)

California Distributed Energy Guide, offered by the California Energy Commission, contains a wealth of information regarding distributed energy resources, including technologies, cost and performance, markets, and applications.

Cogeneration Online offers a presentation on cogeneration for residential buildings developed by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

Consumer Energy Council of America is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting public policy positions that advance the best interests of consumers of essential energy services. See the CECA DG Program page for a variety of DG resources including primers, a DG fact sheet, distributed energy decision tools, references, links, and a discussion forum. See also Distributed Energy Forum.

Critical Infrastructure Modeling and Assessment Program (CIMAP) is a program Virginia Tech's Advanced Research Institute focused on assessing critical energy, water, telecomminications, and transportation infrastructure in Virginia. CIMAP has developed background papers and held workshops on CHP/DER as part of its Distributed Generation and Virginia's Energy Security initiative.

Distributed Energy Forum is provided by the Consumer Energy Council of America as an information resource for distributed energy. Its DE Calculator, discussion forum, references, publications, and other resources are available for both those who are novice and advanced in their awareness and consideration of CHP/DER options. See also Consumer Energy Council of America.

Distributed-Generation.com is sponsored by Resource Dynamics Corporation, providing information on DG technologies, markets, applications, interconnection issues, regulatory aspects, and stakeholders as well as links to various DG-related reports and publications. One can use the site to access and subscribe to the DG Monitor newsletter.

Energy and Environmental Analysis, Inc. is a consulting firm that has done extensive CHP/DER-related analyses. The website includes links to numerous EEA reports and presentations as well as to outside resources. The Regulatory Requirements Database for Small Electric Generators provides summaries of environmental, utility, building and fire code, and other requirements for small generators by state.

Mid-Atlantic Energy Coalition is a joint initiative of federal, state and non-governmental organizations interested in accelerating distributed generation and restructuring activities in the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond. The Coalition works with the Mid-Atlantic Distributed Resources Initiative (MADRI), which is an effort among the public utility commissions of DE, DC, MD, NJ, and PA, along with DOE and PJM Interconnection to develop regional policies and market-enabling activities to support distributed generation and demand response in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Northeast-Midwest Institute's DER Pages Institute staff are examining policy options to help develop and deploy technological innovations such as DER. The average efficiency of the U.S. electricity-generation system has been stagnant over the past several decades, but potential gains from currently-available technologies are substantial. Therefore, innovation-based electricity reforms could remove the numerous legal, regulatory, and perceptual barriers that block the introduction of innovative energy technologies.

Regulatory Assistance Project is a nonprofit organization that provides workshops and education assistance to state public utility regulators on electric utility regulation. Workshops, addressed from the perspective of utility regulators, cover a wide range of topics including electric utility restructuring, power sector reform , renewable resource development, the development of competitive markets, performance based regulation, demand-side management and green pricing.

University of Maryland CHP Test Center is designed as a research facility that explores the intricacies of integrating advanced power generating equipment, such as microturbines and fuel cells, with waste heat activated technologies such as absorption chillers and desiccant systems.

Washington State University Cooperative Extension Energy Program DE page links to a Combined Heat and Power Guidebook as well as HeatMap software developed by WSU for evaluating district heating and cooling systems.

Book and Other Publications

R. Brent Alderfer, Thomas J. Starrs, and M. Monica Eldridge, "Making Connections: Case Studies of Interconnection Barriers and their Impacts on Distributed Power Projects," NREL/SR-200-28053, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, May 2000, revised July 2000 www.doe.gov/bridge www.osti.gov/bridge

Joel Bluestein, Susan Horgan, and M. Monica Eldridge, "The Impact of Air Quality Regulation on Distributed Generation," NREL/SR-560-31772, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, October 2002 www.doe.gov/bridge www.osti.gov/bridge

Anne-Marie Borbely and Jan F. Kreider (eds.), "Distributed Generation: The Power Paradigm for the New Millenium" (New York: CRC Press, 2001) www.crcpress.com

Susanne Brooks, Maggie Eldridge, and R. Neal Elliot, "Combined Heat and Power: Connecting the Gap between Markets and Utility Interconnection and Tariff Practices" (Part I, March 2006, http://aceee.org/pubs/IE062.htm; Part II, August 2006 http://aceee.org/pubs/IE063.htm) American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE)

Elizabeth Brown and R. Neal Elliott, "State Opportunities for Action: Update of States' Combine Heat and Power Activities," Report Number IE032, American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, October 2003 aceee.org

Consumer Energy Council of America, "Distributed Energy: Towards a 21st Century Infrastructure" (Washington, DC: Consumer Energy Council of America: July 2001) www.cecarf.org

Digital Power Group, "A White Paper on Critical Power," August 2003 http://www.criticalpowercoalition.org/critical_power_white_paper.pdf

Distributed Energy: The Journal for Onsite Power Solutions published by Forester Communications, Inc. www.DistributedNRG.com

Energy & Power Management published by BNP Media www.energyandpowermanagement.com

J.J. Ianucci, L. Cibulca, J.M. Eyer, and R.L. Pupp, "DER Benefits Analysis Studies: Final Report, " NREL/SR-620-34636, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, September 2003 www.doe.gov/bridge www.osti.gov/bridge

Amory B. Lovins, E. Kyle Datta, Thomas Feiler, Karl R. Rabago, Joel N. Swisher, Andre Lehmann, and Ken Wicker, "Small is Profitable: The Hidden Economic Benefits of Making Electrical Resources the Right Size" (Snowmass, CO: The Rocky Mountain Institute, 2002) www.rmi.org

C. B. Oland, "Guide to Combined Heat and Power Systems for Boiler Owners and Operators," ORNL/TM-2004/144, Oak Ridge National Laboratory for U.S. Department of Energy, July 30, 2004 www.oit.doe.gov/bestpractices/steam/pdfs/guide_chp_boiler.pdf

Scott A. Spiewak and Larry Weiss, "Cogeneration & Small Power Production Manual" (Lilburn, GA: The Fairmont Press, 1997), distributed by Prentice-Hall, Inc.

United States Combined Heat & Power Association, "National CHP Roadmap," March 2001 http://uschpa.admgt.com/

Some Pertinent Virginia Agencies

Department of Environmental Quality is the state environmental regulatory agency that administers air emissions regulations and permitting, air quality planning, and other programs pertinent to CHP/DER environmental impacts. Click here for Virginia air pollution regulations and note the particular relevance of Chapter 80 Permits for New and Modified Sources. Those contemplating small CHP/DER applications may wish to pay particular attention to Chapter 80 Article 6 which covers minor sources and describes applicability and exemption levels. Small new sources may be exempt from permitting and sources making modifications that lower or entail de minimus increases in emissions may be exempt from having to amend their permits. Project planners should consult the regulations and contact DEQ to determine permitting requirements.

Department of Housing and Community Development administers building and fire codes and regulations through the Division of Building and Fire Regulation. These rules and their application by localities can affect CHP/DER technology installations.

Department of Mines, Mineral, and Energy--Division of Energy is Virginia's state energy office, with focus areas on increasing energy efficiency in state operations, promoting the use of renewable and indiginous energy resources, and enhancing energy efficiency of schools in Virginia. The Division of Energy also administers the DOE-supported State Energy Program for Virginia.

State Corporation Commission has oversight over varied business and economic interests throughout the Commonwealth. It serves as a public utility commission with purview over electric and gas utilities tariffs and regulations and utility restructuring. See also the Virginia Energy Choice page. SCC regulations also govern net energy metering for small residential (no greater than 10 kW) and business (no greater than 500 kW) solar, wind, and small hydropower generators. See 20 VAC 5-315-10 et seq.

See also the Energy and Environmental Analysis, Inc. Regulatory Requirements Database for Small Generators page for Virginia.

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