CHP Jobs Overview

Combined Heat and Power(CHP), also known as Cogeneration Heat and Power, is a conventional piece of technology which is capable of constantly producing electricity and heat from a fuel input.

The fuel which is commonly used is natural gas and this whole process is known to waste less energy and improve efficiency by 40-45%, providing the heat is utilised well. 

It should come as no surprise after knowing this that CHP engineers require specialist knowledge and expertise in completing their day-to-day tasks!

A Typical Day As A CHP Engineer

Whilst each day can be different working as a CHP engineer, the typical tasks you can expect to carry out in your average day can include:

Routine servicing which can include work on generators, heat recovery systems, gas engines, and generators;

Inspecting equipment for faults;

Repairing breakdowns;

Paperwork;

Assessing which parts are required.

This method of creating energy is becoming increasingly popular due to excessive reduction of cost and carbon towards heavy-industrial energy users such as the oil and gas sector.

The State Of CHP In The UK

In 2019, oil and gas contributed to 35.7% of the total usage of CHP electricity capacity across the UK whilst chemicals was behind at 19.1% and others at 16.4%. 

The sectors which are categorised as others include agricultural, leisure, incineration, and community heating.

Depending on the company you choose to work with can greatly affect whether you will be required to work out of hours or have an on-call rota. If this is the case, you can expect to be called out to repair CHP stations for a number of different sectors. 

CHP engineers work within the power generation sector which means they are responsible for providing our country with power.

Without all of our workers in the power generation sector, we would have no electricity or power for our businesses or homes. The whole infrastructure of the country’s dependent on them!

Whilst you could work in a number of different industries within the power generation sector, by choosing to work with CHP you are helping to reduce the amount of fuel wasted during energy production. 

Producing energy in areas such as a power plant, the fuel must be split between the power plant and the boiler.

Out of the 50% of fuel which goes into the power plant, 35% is lost and only 21% produces power. The boiler loses 9% of the fuel and manages to save 35% for heat. On total, out of the 100% fuel which has gone into this process, only 56% has been created for energy.

Whereas, out of the 100% fuel which is provided to our CHP, 31% is converted to power, 49% is converted to heat, and only 20% is lost.

This means that 80% of the total fuel is useful! This is 24% more than a standard power plant.

The Areas You Can Work Whilst You Are A CHP Engineer

CHP can be used in areas where there is a high demand for both power and electricity at 16 hours or more per day. These machines run the most efficient once they have been running at full capacity for at least 16 hours but often 24 hours. 

When it comes to fitting CHP units, you must assess their supply demands for heat and electricity. Supplying a client with a unit too small can jeopardise their financial savings as well as causing potential safety factors and malfunctions.

Supplying one too large can affect their financial intentions. 

There has been a number of areas where a CHP unit has been tested and succeeded. These areas are: 

Leisure Centres;

District Heating;

Hospitals;

Agricultural;

Schools and Universities.

These units will require a thorough maintenance check yearly to be sure that they are running correctly and maintaining their efficiency.

Qualifications And Skills Needed To Be A CHP Engineer

Due to this job having high-risk factor exposure, having the appropriate skills and qualifications is paramount for your safety, your team members, and your clients.

Whilst many employers will train you along the way, which will help you to develop your skills, and put you through training to gain qualifications, having the necessary foundations in place will be beneficial for yourself and the company.

Like we mentioned previously, communication is the key to success and helping to keep everybody safe.

Alongside having great communication skills, having experience in in the engineering field and knowledge using computer software such as Word, Excel, and Outlook could be vital if you are keen to land a job in this industry. 

A great way for anybody to gain experience, skills, and qualification’s is through an apprenticeship.

Whilst you may not be able to start as an apprentice in CHP engineering, an apprenticeship within the engineering sector will provide you with knowledge, skills, and qualifications to add to your CV.

Once you have completed your apprenticeship, your employer may be able to guide and support you in finding a job as a CHP engineer. Your CV will look much better with previous experience and knowledge on board.

Do you need help with your CV? Check out our 8 simple steps for writing an engaging engineering CV!

As a standard, many jobs will require at least a minimum of 5 GCSE’s, including English, Maths, and Science. However, don’t be alarmed if certain jobs higher up the career ladder request more GCSE’s or higher-level education such as A-Levels or even degrees.

If you wish to gain a degree in engineering, you will be required to have obtained certain A-Levels. The type you obtain will determine which sector with engineering you choose. Some may request maths and physics whereas other will request maths and chemistry.

Salary For A CHP Engineer

On average, a CHP Engineer can earn £36,822 and above per annum. Whilst you are starting out, the lower end of the salary is £32,500 per annual. However, this can increase as the years go on and your experience increases.

Once you have reached the higher end of the scale and have become a more experienced worker, you can be expected to earn up to £45,000 per annum!

The average hourly salary is £18.88 per hour.

To put this into perspective, for those aged 23 and over, their minimum national wage is £9.50 per hour. This is £9.38 per hour difference! This sector can be very successful and help lead you in the right direction.

Our team have specialist knowledge in a number of sectors, including power generation. If you are interested in becoming a CHP engineer, contact our team and let’s see how we can help you!

We regularly have clients who are on the search for a CHP Engineer!