IN SUPPORT OF COMBINED HEAT AND POWER TO PROMOTE ENERGY EFFICIENCY

WHEREAS, the use of combined heat and power reduces the use of fossil fuels, reduces air pollutants and greenhouse gases, increases grid security and power reliability and lessens grid congestion and transmission and distribution losses; and

WHEREAS, combined heat and power systems are more efficient than separate generating systems as they recover heat that would be usually be wasted and capture it as energy; and

WHEREAS, power plants and other energy intensive industrial sources are a large source of lost energy and offer significant potential for greater energy efficiency through combined heat and power; and

WHEREAS, such systems significantly reduce the amount of greenhouse gases and pollutants; and

WHERAS, the capital costs and lack of technical expertise can be barriers to the deployment of these combined heat and power systems; and

WHEREAS, combined heat and power systems are often used in large facilities such as hospitals, universities, and military bases throughout the country and have achieved considerable success in raising energy efficiency and decreasing overall costs; and

WHEREAS, President Obama has recently issued an executive order calling for a fifty percent increase (40 gigawatts) from today’s level of combined heat and power capacity by 2020; and

WHEREAS, cities and its citizens would realize multiple benefits from the increased use of the combined heat and power systems such as by lowering energy bills through the increased efficiency and creating local jobs through installation,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that The U.S. Conference of Mayors urges Congress to enact legislation that supports cities and major energy using facilities in installing combined heat and power systems.