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The International CHP/DHC Collaborative

In the G8 Gleneagles Communiqué of July 2005, G8 leaders state that “IEA will advise on alternative energy scenarios and strategies aimed at a clean, clever and competitive energy future.”   In Heiligendamm in 2007, these leaders issued a direct charge that nations must increase their use of Combined Heat and Power (CHP).  In response, the IEA created the International CHP/District Heating and Cooling (DHC) Collaborative to help evaluate global lessons learned and guide the G8 and other efforts. The CHP/DHC Collaborative assesses global markets and policies for these important technologies.

Major economies’ CHP potentials under an accelerated CHP scenario, 2015 and 2030



The IEA’s latest CHP report, "Cogeneration and District Energy: Sustainable energy technologies for today…and tomorrow" identifies proven solutions that governments have used to advance CHP and district energy, setting out a practical ‘’how to’’ guide with options to consider for design and implementation. The report concludes that these technologies do not need significant financial incentives; rather they require the creation of a government ‘champion’ to identify and address market barriers. This makes CHP and district energy ideal investments at a time of tight budgets. 

The CHP report follows the IEA’s first report from March 2008, "Combined Heat and Power: Evaluating the Benefits of Greater Global Investment". There are also 11 "Country Scorecards" that evaluate different countries’ success in achieving increased use of CHP and DHC.