A new multi-generation system based on a biomass combustor, an organic Rankine cycle (ORC), an absorption chiller and a proton exchange membrane electrolyzer to produce hydrogen, and a domestic water heater for hot water production, is proposed and thermodynamically assessed. Exergy analysis is conducted to determine the irreversibilities in each component and the system performance. In addition, an environmental impact assessment of the multi-generation system is performed, and the potential reduction in CO2 emissions when the system shifts from power generation to multi-generation are investigated. To understand system performance more comprehensively, a parametric study is performed to investigate the effects of several important design parameters on the energy and exergy efficiencies of the system. Crown Copyright (C) 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.