Lochinvar and EC POWER, a European producer of residential and commercial combined heat and power plants, announced a strategic partnership to launch cogeneration product in North America.

Using up to 96 percent of the fuel, a commercial facility with a cogeneration system can produce both energy-efficient heat for domestic hot water and electricity to reduce energy consumption from external power sources. The system is designed to provide a payback within the first two and a half to five years.

The product is slated for an official launch in January 2019.

“Cogeneration is a game changer for the North American market as large commercial facilities, such as hospitals, universities and multi-family complexes, have an increasing appetite for products that provide reliable hot water delivery and reduced energy costs,” said Mike Lahti, vice president of sales, marketing and business development. “Lochinvar’s partnership with EC POWER to expand the availability of cogeneration technology will save millions for businesses while also remaining true to both our companies’ long-standing history of groundbreaking innovation, superior engineering and quality.”

This partnership is designed to meet the growing need for enhanced efficiency and reduced energy waste in North America. Cogeneration products decrease a facility’s environmental impact and electricity expenses by harnessing unused heat for domestic hot water and creating additional power.

“Cogeneration is a huge step in sustainability and energy efficiency. The concept has proven to be incredibly successful in the European market and it continues to grow in popularity,” said Christian Neve, chief sales officer for EC POWER. “Lochinvar has been leading the North American industry for more than 70 years, so their level of expertise was the perfect match for this project as we work together to create new opportunities for enhanced efficiency.”

Cogeneration is already used in countries like Finland and Denmark where 40-50 percent of electric generation capacity comes from cogeneration. The main advantage of cogeneration products is optimal efficiency as most plants have a conversion efficiency of 75-90 percent. Cogen facilities also prevent the 5-10 percent energy loss that occurs when electricity is transmitted from a traditional remote power station.