A method of removing acid gases from a gas stream making use of the apparatus of claim 12, characterized by the steps of: providing an absorber column; providing the gas stream to the absorber column; providing a lean solvent solution stream comprising an aqueous amine-based solvent solution to the absorber column; contacting the gas stream and the lean solvent solution stream in the absorber column to produce a product gas depleted of acid gases and a rich solvent solution; measuring a product gas temperature of the product gas in the absorber column at a first location proximate to where the lean solvent solution stream first contacts the gas stream; measuring a lean solvent temperature of the lean solvent solution stream at a second location proximate to where the lean solvent solution stream first contacts the gas stream; providing a regenerator; providing the rich solvent solution to the regenerator to produce a lean solvent solution stream; providing a heating unit wherein the solvent solution stream from the regenerator is heated by heat exchange relationship in a heat exchanger of a heating circuit connected to the regenerator by circulating the solvent through the heating circuit with heating fluid from the heating unit; returning the lean solvent solution to the absorber column; adjusting at least one of the lean solvent solution temperature, a solvent solution recirculation rate, and a solvent-to-water ratio of the lean solvent solution stream to result in a product gas temperature elevation greater than 5° C thereby reducing regeneration energy, wherein the product gas temperature elevation is the difference between the product gas temperature and the lean solvent solution temperature; and discharging the product gas stream from the absorber column. providing an absorber column; providing the gas stream to the absorber column; providing a lean solvent solution stream comprising an aqueous amine-based solvent solution to the absorber column; contacting the gas stream and the lean solvent solution stream in the absorber column to produce a product gas depleted of acid gases and a rich solvent solution; measuring a product gas temperature of the product gas in the absorber column at a first location proximate to where the lean solvent solution stream first contacts the gas stream; measuring a lean solvent temperature of the lean solvent solution stream at a second location proximate to where the lean solvent solution stream first contacts the gas stream; providing a regenerator; providing the rich solvent solution to the regenerator to produce a lean solvent solution stream; providing a heating unit wherein the solvent solution stream from the regenerator is heated by heat exchange relationship in a heat exchanger of a heating circuit connected to the regenerator by circulating the solvent through the heating circuit with heating fluid from the heating unit; returning the lean solvent solution to the absorber column; adjusting at least one of the lean solvent solution temperature, a solvent solution recirculation rate, and a solvent-to-water ratio of the lean solvent solution stream to result in a product gas temperature elevation greater than 5° C thereby reducing regeneration energy, wherein the product gas temperature elevation is the difference between the product gas temperature and the lean solvent solution temperature; and discharging the product gas stream from the absorber column.