energy-recovery

Vocabulary Word

Definition

You've probably heard 'energy recovery' and thought it was technical jargon, but it's really about converting waste material into usable energy. It's similar to when waste is turned into compost for plants.

Examples in Different Contexts

In heating and cooling systems, 'energy recovery' involves reclaiming energy that would otherwise be wasted, for example, by using heat exchangers. An HVAC engineer might explain, 'Energy recovery ventilators help improve climate control efficiency while reducing energy costs.'

Practice Scenarios

Sustainability

Scenario:

We have a huge amount of biomass waste from our municipal solid waste. Is there a way we could put it to better use?

Response:

Indeed, we could look at energy recovery methods to convert our biomass waste into biofuel, which could be used for heating or electricity generation.

Business

Scenario:

Due to the increase in our energy costs, we’ve been considering various ways to make our manufacturing processes more efficient.

Response:

Absolutely, an energy recovery system could help us harness the waste heat from our machinery to reduce energy costs.