Cogen and Trigen - Sustainability in Action

May 6-7, 2009

Overview of the Symposium

The Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Foundation of the University of Sydney organised the ‘Cogeneration and Trigeneration - Sustainability in Action’ Symposium to present real options for sustainable energy technologies. The Symposium brought together experts and will cover technical, regulatory, financial aspects of cogeneration and trigeneration energy options, as well as offer an insight into the relationship of these and utilities. In-depth reviews of case studies which looked at Cogen and Trigen facilities set up in manufacturing plants, commercial complexes (shopping centres, office buildings) and major infrastructure complexes, such as airports were also presented.

This Symposium brought together the major players in the Cogen and Trigen industries, as well as industry representatives who could learn about Cogen and Trigen concepts, and how implementing associated technologies into their organisations might be done. Most importantly, this symposium offered options to energy users, in light of the various Australian governments’ warnings about expected problems with energy supply which may be experienced in the very near future.

Background to the Symposium

In June 2008 the Institution of Chemical Engineers in Australia and the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Foundation of The University of Sydney organised the ‘Shared challenges, shared solutions - Sustainable energy and water’ Symposium, which was hosted by the Hon Verity Firth MP, NSW Minister for Climate Change and the Environment at the NSW Parliament House.

This Symposium covered issues relating to energy and water, the two topics that Australia was to examine with a view to developing a set of guidelines for governments and industry to assist in the implementation of strategies to deal with these key challenges, particularly in a world where the overriding challenge of Climate Change and environmental issues have had a profound effect on society’s way of thinking

The Symposium provided the back-drop for the launch of two White/Green Papers which progressed the ‘Roadmap for 21st Century Chemical Engineering’. For more information please refer to the IChemE website (www.icheme.org/roadmap 2007).

The ‘Shared challenges, shared solutions’ Symposium was the first of further Symposia that the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Foundation agreed to organise, thus setting up a forum for the examination of the technologies that industry might wish to consider and discuss to assist in ensuring the development of sustainability in energy and water.