Sizing & Integration7 / 13
CHP Integration with Boiler/Chiller
Hybrid operation: CHP for baseload heat, boiler backup for peaks; sequencing controls.
10 min read · Jacob Willis, Net Zero Lead · Last reviewed July 2026
A CHP unit rarely works alone. It sits in a plant room alongside boilers, pumps, controls and the electrical supply, and how it is integrated determines whether it ever achieves its design run hours. Most disappointing CHP installations fail on integration, not on the unit itself, which is why this stage deserves as much attention as the sizing. This lesson covers hydraulic integration with boilers, the thermal store, electrical connection, and the controls that tie it together.
In this lesson
- 01Hydraulic integration with boilers
- 02The thermal store
- 03Electrical integration
- 04Controls and the common failures
- 05Sources and further reading