Overview
Argonne National Laboratory CHP is a 6.3 MW gas-fired combined heat and power plant in Illinois, USA. It provides electricity and thermal energy to the Argonne National Laboratory campus.
Argonne National Laboratory CHP is a gas-fired combined heat and power (CHP) facility located at the Argonne National Laboratory in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. With a capacity of 6.3 MW, it is a small-scale power generation unit that serves the energy needs of the laboratory campus. The plant operates on natural gas and utilizes CHP technology, which captures waste heat for thermal applications, improving overall efficiency compared to separate heat and power generation. As a facility in the United States, it is subject to federal regulations under the Clean Air Act, including New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for stationary gas turbines and emission limits for criteria pollutants such as NOx and CO. The plant plays a key role in supporting the research activities at Argonne National Laboratory by providing reliable electricity and steam. Its CHP configuration reduces energy costs and lowers the carbon footprint relative to conventional separate generation. The facility is owned and operated by the laboratory, ensuring alignment with its sustainability goals.
Environmental context
The plant's use of natural gas as fuel results in lower CO2 emissions per MWh compared to coal or oil, but still contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. Its small capacity and CHP design improve efficiency and reduce local air pollutant emissions relative to separate heat and power generation. The facility is located in a suburban area near Chicago, so emissions are subject to state and federal air quality regulations, including the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) for NOx and SO2.
Frequently asked questions
Argonne National Laboratory CHP is located at the Argonne National Laboratory in DuPage County, Illinois, United States.
The plant has a capacity of 6.3 megawatts (MW), making it a small-scale gas-fired power generation facility.
The plant uses natural gas as its primary fuel and operates as a combined heat and power (CHP) facility.
Gas power plants in the U.S. are regulated under the Clean Air Act, including New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for emissions of NOx, SO2, and CO, as well as state-level permits and the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) for regional air quality.
CHP technology captures waste heat from electricity generation for thermal use, increasing overall efficiency to 60-80% compared to separate heat and power generation, which reduces fuel consumption and emissions.