The German Bundeskabinett passed the preliminary report as to the national climate protection programme at the end of July 2000. Therein, cogeneration is considered to be a major aspect in the mitigation of climate change and a national quota system has been announced for the midyear 2001. Consequently, the business environment for cogeneration plants might improve distinctly. Regarding these developments, the present article deals with problems and possibilities arising through the realisation of inter-firm cogeneration potential.