Hera Holding Energia Risorse Ambiente S.p.a. is a multi-utility company providing primary services to 2 million customers with headquarters in Emilia Romagna, Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Hera’s mission statement underscores the importance of respect for the environment and the provision of high quality environmental services, water and energy services through close attachment to the local area and a capacity for innovation. As part of this mission Hera has also entrusted Cefla Engineering with a project for the construction of a cogeneration plant on a site owned by Hera in Bologna

Cefla has managed the construction of a cogeneration plant that produces super-heated water for the urban district heating network. It consists of 2 internal combustion engines and supplementary/back-up boilers.

The cogeneration plant uses the engine exhaust fumes (4 MW) to produce super-heated water (120° C) to be introduced into the urban district heating network. Cooling of internal circuits on the engine yields thermal energy to produce water at 90° C to be used in another district heating network. The same network is powered by two fume-tube hot water boilers with an overall power rating of 13 MW and can be heated further using the 120° C water produced at the cogeneration plant via a heat exchange system. The power plant has been designed so it can also produce cold water for district cooling schemes where required.