Enel X launches GEO in the UK to optimise CHP assets and boost operator income

• Enel X survey reveals a third of CHP operators are running plant that was designed for past capacity needs
• GEO – Generation and Energy Optimisation – creates new value by optimising assets and maximises that value by trading flexible capacity



London, United Kingdom, 20 July 2020 – Enel X has launched GEO, an integrated solution that optimises the operational schedule of a wide range of assets including turbines, engines and steam boilers. GEO enables operators to maximise the flexible capacity of their CHP plant while meeting site needs in the most economical way.

Combined heat and power (CHP) plants are typically specified to meet the on-site energy needs of a business. However, 80% of CHPs in the UK are three or more years old[1] and a recent survey[2] of CHP operators suggests that of the respondents, over a third claim their plant was designed to cater to these past needs. Conditions today have changed, however, and have been influenced by external forces such as Net Zero, the Medium Combustion Plant Directive (MCPD), and Triad reform.

“Businesses continue to experience energy market volatility amidst an evolving regulatory landscape, driving the need to optimise assets and minimise energy costs,” said Tony Whittle, Head of Enel X UK & Ireland. “GEO gives CHP operators more control over their assets and creates an opportunity to trade flexible capacity, enabling them to save 5-15% of their energy costs overall.”

Many industrial and commercial (I&C) businesses have implemented small energy management projects over recent years to increase efficiency in operations and reduce their sites’ energy demands, such as LED lighting. Now more technology-based improvements, like GEO, offer advanced inputs and machine learning to ensure an optimal level of efficiency on a larger scale. For a CHP plant designed to meet older or obsolete needs, optimisation may result in an improved operational schedule and flexible capacity that can be used to export energy to the grid – an advantage only 14% of the survey respondents take. GEO provides a way to maximise the value of this capacity through trading in the capacity market, balancing mechanism and wholesale markets, generating additional revenue for the business. 

[1] Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics, 2019

[2] Enel X’s survey, conducted during June/July 2020, collected responses from UK CHP operators

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Editors notes

About GEO

GEO is available to CHP operators serving I&C businesses. It requires minimal capital expenditure to deploy and delivers the best financial returns from assets that operate behind the meter; run below 100% capacity; are subject to seasonal changes in production levels and have the ability to export flexible capacity.

GEO works to meet site demand within all technical, environmental and operational constraints.

To maximise value from assets, GEO:

• Combines knowledge of operating parameters with real-time grid signals and market indicators to create the best running schedule
• Trades any flexible capacity in the most appropriate market
• Sends automated dispatch signals to CHP plant by interfacing with SCADA or local control rooms, making it easier to realise market value with short notice periods
• Enables operators to identify when it’s best to plan maintenance, in order to minimise revenue loss and provide insight into how to size new CHP plant to maximise profitable operation

About Enel X

Enel X is Enel's global business line dedicated to the development of innovative products and digital solutions in sectors where energy is showing the greatest potential for transformation: cities, homes, industries and electric mobility. The company is a global leader in the advanced energy solution sector, managing services such as demand response for more than 6 GW of total capacity at global level and 110 MW of storage capacity installed worldwide, as well as a leading player in the electric mobility sector, with around 100,000 public and private EV charging points made available around the globe.