Boilersource, a manufacturer’s representative supplying commercial and industrial boilers, water heaters, and advanced energy systems throughout Northern Illinois, including Chicagoland, and Northwest Indiana, announced that two Chicago projects it supported received 2026 CHP Project of the Year Awards from the Midwest Cogeneration Association (MCA).

The recognized projects include micro combined heat and power (mCHP) installations at Half Acre Beer Company and the 5550 S. Dorchester multifamily building in Chicago. Both projects use on-site generation to produce electricity while capturing heat that would otherwise be wasted and using it to meet hot water needs.

MCA presented the awards at its 2026 Midwest Cogeneration Conference. The association recognizes CHP and distributed energy resource projects that demonstrate effective design and deployment while contributing to energy savings, emissions reductions, and resiliency. 

Boilersource served as the equipment supplier and provided engineering support, startup, commissioning, and ongoing aftermarket support for both systems. The company also worked with the project teams to identify suitable applications and help coordinate implementation. 

Half Acre Beer Company

At Half Acre Beer Company’s facility at 2050 W. Balmoral Ave., Boilersource worked alongside the Peoples Gas Energy Efficiency Program, Kinergetics LLC, and Stanton Mechanical Inc. on a system designed around the brewery’s substantial hot water and electrical demands. The installation includes two EC Power XRGI-25 units with a combined electrical generating capacity of 48 kW. 

Brewing requires significant quantities of hot water for production and sanitation, making the facility well-suited for CHP. Rather than allowing heat generated during electricity generation to go unused, the system captures it and uses it to preheat water for the brewing process.

The system is expected to meet approximately 59% of the facility’s hot water load and 14% of its electrical load while operating at more than 93% overall efficiency. Project estimates indicate approximately 138,000 kWh in annual electricity savings, net annual cost savings of $17,888, and a reduction of approximately 79,710 pounds of CO₂ emissions per year. The measurement and verification (M&V) process has already shown greater savings than estimated, as well as an unexpected reduction in gas usage due to the reduced steam production for hot water generation.

The project moved from feasibility study through system design, installation, and commissioning in less than six months.

5550 S. Dorchester

The second recognized project is located at 5550 S. Dorchester Ave. in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood. The 124-unit multifamily property uses two Axiom Energy 4.4 kW mCHP units integrated with the building’s existing domestic hot water infrastructure. 

Boilersource worked with the Peoples Gas Energy Efficiency Program, property management, and project partner PremiStar to help integrate the system into the building while minimizing disruption to residents and ongoing operations. 

The system generates approximately 50,000 kWh annually, offsets about 20% of the building’s electrical load, and supplies approximately 55% of its domestic hot water demand. The installation operates at approximately 95% total fuel utilization efficiency.

The project demonstrates that mCHP can be applied not only in industrial settings but also in existing multifamily buildings where domestic hot water demand provides a consistent opportunity to recover and reuse thermal energy.

Additional project information and Peoples Gas Energy Efficiency Program success stories are available through the Trade Ally Center’s program resources: https://tradeallycenter.com/trade-ally-dashboard/program-resources/