Since waste heat recovery often leads to significant fuel savings, CO2 emissions are often reduced. The primary benefit of lower emissions is of course the positive effects on our environment, but they can have monetary value as well.
Many parts of the world have, or are about to introduce, emissions trading systems (cap and trade), the European Union Emission Trading Scheme being the largest in use.
After implementing waste heat recovery systems, companies may find they have unused emission permits. These can then be sold if the company is operating under a cap and trade system.
In countries without cap and trade systems there may still be possibilities to sell emission permits to other parts of the world through the UN’s flexible mechanisms.
10 MW of recovered heat can be used for saving 350,000 EUR per year in emission costs, assuming:
