Thermal power plants, or TPPs for short, are modular systems which are used for decentralized generation of electricity and heat through the use of power-heat coupling. A special industrial combustion engine, designed for long-duration operation, drives the generator (electrical power) of the TPP. For the motor, a number of different fuels, both solid and liquid, can be used. Usually, these are natural gas, liquefied gas/LPG, biogas or gas from purification plants or heating oil. The cooling water of the motor and the high-temperature exhaust are fed through a heat exchanger in order to heat water easily to over 90°C.

Advanced designs, such as those used by Cogenon, have surmounted all of the problems encountered in the early days of this technology and feature drastically reduced noise and vibration characteristics, long maintenance intervals and operational lifespans of many tens of thousands of hours.

Schematic of a thermal power plant with combustion engine