An Exergy-Based Method for Allocating Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Cogeneration Systems - Part I: Comparison with Other Methods

Many companies, government agencies and researchers have sought means to allocate emissions for cogeneration systems. Some work has been carried out in this area, but the results obtained thus far are not universally accepted, and often are inconsistent, overly complex and difficult to use, and not based on sound reasoning. In this article, an exergy-based method for allocating emissions for cogeneration systems is described and compared with other methods. The results should be of most benefit to designers of energy systems, and to decision and policy makers in companies and government. In part I of this two-part article, comparisons are made of methods for allocating carbon dioxide emissions from cogeneration. In a follow-up article (part II), the case for an exergy-based allocation method is presented in more depth.