A particularly efficient method of electricity generation that diverts heat, produced as a by-product of the power generation process, to domestic and industrial heating systems. The heat is produced by combustion of fuel in the power station to create the steam that drives the generating turbines. It would otherwise be released to the atmosphere.

The use of steam or heat, created in the process of generating electricity, for some other useful purpose, e.g., heating a building (in effect, creating two useful forms of energy with one fuel source).

The use of a heat engine to generate both electricity and heat simultaneously. (See also: CHP below)

the production of steam to drive turbines producing electrical energy for plant use or sale and for the provision of heat for buildings and industrial processes.

Using the energy left over from one primary energy conversion to fuel another. The most prominent example are natural gas co-generation plants which first feed fuel into a gas turbine. The residual heat from that reaction heats water to spin a steam turbine. In this case the residual heat created by a hydrogen fuel cell can be used to spin a steam [..]