CHP Case Studies
Cogeneration Success Stories At A Glance
Our involvement in implementing combined heat & power systems spans several sectors. Below are some investments which organizations have made in CHP that continue to rake in energy savings. If you have a facility, chances are we've done work within similar parameters. Don't hesitate to get in touch for a no-cost consultation to find out how we can save energy while increasing resilience for your facility.
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Critical Health Infrastructure
Saint Marys Hospital
Location: Rochester, Minnesota
Hospital Size: 3 million square feet; 1,157 licensed beds
Maximum Electric Demand: 12.0 Megawatts
Maximum Heating Load: 130,000 lb/hr
Maximum Cooling Load: 7,500 tons
Generating Equipment: 3.0 MW Dresser-Rand Back; Pressure Steam Turbine (1971) 4.75 MW Solar Taurus 60 Gas; Combustion Turbine (1996) Total Generating Capacity: 7.75 Megawatts
Installation Cost:$5 Million
Expected Payback: 5 Years
Actual Payback: 3.5 YearsElkhart General Hospital
Location: Elkhart, Indiana
Facility Size: 700,000 square feet
Number of Staffed Beds: 337 Beds
Facility Type: Medical Campus – Multiple BuildingsMaximum Electric Demand: 3,500 kilowatts
Generating Equipment: Caterpillar Model 3516 Reciprocating Engine
Generating Capacity: 745 kilowatts (kW)
Primary Fuel: Natural Gas
Heat Recovery: Domestic Hot Water
Operation Schedule: Peak Shaving during On Peak Hours of Spring, Summer, & Fall Months Local Electric Utility: American Electric Power (AEP)Began Operation:1991
Gundersen Health System
Location: Onalaska Campus, Wisconsin
Market Sector: Healthcare
Facility Size: 350,000 square foot campus
Prime Mover: 1,137 kW Reciprocating Engine Generator
Heat Recovery Equipment: (1) Intercooler, Lube Oil, and Jacket; Water Decoupling Heat;Exchanger (1) Exhaust Heat Recovery UnitFuel Type: Landfill Gas
Thermal Generating: 4 MMBtu
per hour 200˚F Hot Water
Use of Thermal Energy: Space Heating and Domestic Hot Water
Total Project Cost: $3.5 Million
Yearly Energy Savings: $400,000Began Operating: March 2012
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University & School Campuses
University of Iowa
Location: Iowa City, Iowa
Size: 1,900 acres; 119 buildings; 14.5 million ft2
Prime Mover:3 – Steam Turbines
Fuel Utilized: Coal, Natural Gas and Biomass Distance from Biomass Fuel Source: 20 miles
Generating Capacity: 24.9 MW
Annual Energy Savings: $735,000/yr
Retrofit Cost Cost: $500,000
Simple Payback: Less than 1 yearUniversity of Michigan
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Facility Type: University Campus – Multiple Buildings Maximum Electric Demand:
In winter 35 megawatts, in summer 48 megawatts
Generating Capacity: 45.2 megawatts (MW)
Primary Fuel: Natural Gas
Operation Schedule: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Local Electric Utility: Detroit Edison
Began Operation: 1914University of Illinois at Chicago
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Market Sector: University Campus
Total Generating Capacity: 21 Megawatts TOTAL HEAT RECOVERY RATE: 360,000 lb/hr SteamUse of Thermal Energy: Heating and Cooling
Campus Buildings
Fuel Type: Natural Gas
Equipment:(3) 7.0 MW Solar Taurus Natural Gas Turbines (3) Exhaust Gas HRSGs with Duct Burners
(2) 500 RT Carrier Absorption Chillers
(1) 1,000 RT Carrier Absorption Chiller
(3) 5.4 MW Wärtsilä Natural Gas Engine Generator Sets (peak operation only – no heat recovery)Total Project Cost: $36 Million
Annual Energy Savings: $5 to $7 M/yr
Simple Payback: Less than 7 Years
Began Operation: 2001
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Food Production
Vestil Manufacturing Company
Location: Angola, Indiana
Facility Type: Manufacturing Facility Manufacturing Product Type: Materials Handling Equipment Facility Size: 500,000 square feet
CHP Generating Capacity: 140 kW
Prime Mover: 2 MT70 Ingersoll Rand Microturbines Primary Fuel:
Natural Gas Heat Recovery Type:
1.1 MMBtu/hr Direct Exhaust
Heat Recovery Applications:– Convection Cure Oven
– Convection Drying Oven
– Wash Solution Holding Tanks CHP System Efficiency: 80%+ Design Efficiency Local Electric Utility: Steuben Cnty. REMC
Total Installation Cost: $217,440
Began Operation: June 2005Norswiss Farms
Location: Rice Lake, Wisconsin
Facility Type: Dairy Farm
Number of Cows: 1,100 dairy cows
CHP Generating Capacity: 848 kW
Prime Mover: Jenbacher JGS316 GS-B.L. Engine Primary Fuel:
Anaerobic Digester Gas at ~65% Methane CH4 Heat Recovery Source: Jacket Water and Intercoolers
Heat Recovery Rate: 1.7 MMBtu/hr Hot Water
Heat Recovery Application: Digester Heating
Digester Retention Time: 20 Days
Operation Schedule: 24/7
Local Electric Utility: Barron Electric
Total Installation Cost: $2,700,000
Began Operation: April 2006Northeast Missouri Grain
Location: Macon, Missouri
Ethanol Capacity: 40 million gallons per year
Process Steam Requirement: 85,000 lb/hr 125 psi steam
CHP Plant Equipment: Solar Mars® 100 Gas Turbine Deltek Heat Recovery Equipment CHP Generating Capacity: 10.0 MW (megawatts)
CHP Maximum Thermal Output: 51,000 lb/hr 125 psi steam
Ethanol Plant CHP First Costs: Ethanol Plant incurred first costs for building, water, steam plumbing and controls only
Ethanol Plant CHP Expenditures: 50% of the turbine’s natural gas consumption
Ethanol Plant Energy Savings: 15-25% reduction in natural gas steam producing costs
System Online: April 2003
Number of Avoided Outages: Ethanol Plant maintained operation during 4 power outages since online -
Critical Infrastructure
National Animal Disease Center
Location: Ames, Iowa
Facility Size: 450,000 ft2
Generation Capacity: 1.2 MW
Prime Mover: Solar Saturn 20TM Combustion Turbine Fuel Utilized:Natural Gas
Heat Recovery: Steam for labs and space heating 8,300 lbs/hr unfired29,000 lbs/hr with duct firing Annual Cost Savings: $335,000/yr
CHP Project Cost:$3.1 Million
Simple Payback: 9.3 years
Began Operation: 2002
Funding Mechanism: Energy Savings Performance ContractNaval Station Great Lakes
Location: Great Lakes, Illinois
Campus Size:278 buildings 10.9 million SF of occupied space
Maximum Electric Demand: 32 Megawatts
Maximum Steam Demand: 300 kpph
CHP Electric Capacity: 14.0 Megawatts
CHP Thermal Capacity: 100,000 lb/hr of 350 psi steam Prime Movers:(2) 5.5 MW Solar Taurus 60 dual fueled combustion turbines (inst. 2005)
(2) 1.50 MW back pressure steam turbines (inst. 1993)Fuel Type: Natural Gas and No. 2 Fuel Oil Installation Costs: $34,110,909*
Annual Savings: $3.5 million*
Began Operation: Summer 2005
* Economics exclude 1993 installation of back pressure steam turbines.Laclede Gas Building
Location:Saint Louis, Missouri
Energy Plant Equipment: Four 800 kW Waukesha engines Two 550 kW Waukesha engines One York absorption chiller rated at 1050 tons of refrigerationCHP System Operation: Totally independent of the electric distribution grid (islanding mode) Generating Capacity: 4.3 MW
Thermal Capacity: 25,200 lbs/hr low pressure steamEquipment Cost:
Facility built in 1969. Original cost estimates not available.Annual Energy Savings:$14,000
Simple Payback: Facility built in 1969. Simple payback estimates not available -
Wastewater Infrastructure
Rochester Wastewater Reclamation Plant
Location: Rochester, Minnesota
Facility Type:Wastewater Treatment
Annual Plant Capacity: 23.6 million gallons per day of
wastewater
Prime Mover Fuel Type: Digester Gas
Prime Mover Type: Two 1,000-kW Engines
Electric Generating Capacity: 2,000 kW
Heat Recovered from the Engines: 2.6 to 9.0 MM Btu/h
Implementation Cost: $4 million
Estimated Annual Energy Savings: $391,000 per year
Simple Payback Period: ~10 years
Began Operations: 800 kW in 1982; 1,400 kWAlbert Lea Wastewater Treatment Facility
Energy Generated Onsite with Proposed Solutions: 23,244 MMBtu Percent Site Energy Neutrality: 71%
Total Project Cost: $1,061,305
Payback: 8.5 years
Net Present Value (30 years): 732,658
Greenhouse gas emission reduction: 3,436,651 lb of CO2Janesville Wastewater Treatment Facility
Location: Janesville, Wisconsin
Facility Type: Wastewater Treatment
Plant Capacity: 17.8 million gallons per day
Prime Mover Fuel Type: Digester Gas or Natural Gas
Prime Mover Type: Waukesha Dual-Fuel Engine (#F2895G)
Electric Generating Capacity: 2×200 kW
Heat Recovered from the Engine: 1.0 – 1.2 MM Btu/h
Implementation Cost: $910,000
Estimated Annual Energy Savings: $150,000 per year
Simple Payback Period: ~6 years
Began Operation: July 2002
Anaerobic Digesters: 3 digesters w/ total capacity of 2.5 MM gal. -
Not-For-Profit
Breeden YMCA
Location: Angola, Indiana
Design Engineering Firm: NiSource Energy Technologies (NET), Merrillville, IN
Equipment:(2) Capstone® C60 Microturbines (120 kW)
(1) Unifin Heat Exchanger (750,000 btu/hr @ 190oF Hot Water)
(1) Copeland Gas Booster (77 psi)Installed Cost:
• CHP System
($1,475 / kW)
• 400 sq ft showroom floor and Instrumentation – $ 103,000Total Efficiency: 64.7%
System Operational: December 2002Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration
Location: La Crosse, Wisconsin
Projected Annual Energy Savings:$55,000
Installed Cost: $450,000
Estimated Payback: 8 Years
CHP Generating Capacity: 150 kW
Prime Movers: (2) Turbosteam backpressure steam turbine-generators (100 kW and 150 kW units)
Initial System Online: December, 2002
Facility Size: 1,300,000 square feetMuseum of Science & Industry (Chicago)
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Project Managing Firm & Design/Engineering Firm: GTI, Des Plaines, IL; Ballard Engineering, Rockford, IL
Equipment:
(1) Cummins 1.75 MW engine
generator set (natural gas fueled)
(1) Cain Industries Exhaust Steam
Generator (4,000 lbs/hr @ 40 psi)
(1) Munters DryCool Desiccant
Dehumidifier (w/ Enthalpy Wheel)
Equipment Cost: $1,723,125
Annual Energy Cost Savings: Approx. $200,000
Simple Payback: Est: 8.6 Years
Fuel Use Efficiency: 60.5% (38.3% electric; 22.2%thermal)
System Online: February 2003 -
Law Enforcement
Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office
Location: Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Facility Size: 209,020 square feet
CHP Electric Capacity: 1.06 Megawatts
CHP Thermal Capacity: 4,700 MBtu per hour at 194ºFPrime Mover Type: GE Jenbacher JMC320
Heat Recovery Type: CainExhaust Heat Recovery Unit Fuel Type: Landfill Gas
CHP Efficiency: 36.9% Electric Efficiency 47.8% Thermal Efficiency 84.6% Overall EfficiencyInstallation Costs: $1.2 Million
Annual Revenue/Savings: $400,000 to $500,000Simple Payback: Less than 3 Years
Began Operation: April 2007 -
K-12 Schools
Evanston Township High School
Location: Evanston, Illinois
Facility Size: 10 Buildings (1.3 Million sq. ft.)CHP Equipment: (3) 800 kW Caterpillar Model 3516; Natural Gas Engine Generators:
(3) Maxim Exhaust Heat Recovery Silencer Units
(4) York 520-ton Single-Stage Steam-Fired Absorption ChillersGenerating Capacity: 2.4 MW
Heat Recovery: 3,600 lb/hr of 110 psig steam Installation Date:
October 1992
Installed Cost: $1.5 Million
Simple Payback: 4.2 Years
Current Annual Energy Savings: $354,000Maine South High School
Location: Park Ridge, Illinois
Number of Students: 2,597 students
Size of Facility: 500,000 square feet
Maximum / Average Facility Demand: 1,500 kW / 1,100 kW
CHP Electric Generating Capacity: 1,600 kW
CHP Thermal Generating Capacity: 4,000,000 btu/hr hot water heat recoveryPrime Movers: (2) 800 kW Caterpillar 3516 1,200 rpm Reciprocating Engine Generators
Fuel Type: Natural Gas
CHP Operating Schedule: Operated when utility power price signals rise above the cost of on-site generation Maintenance of CHP Equipment: Staff performs all maintenance
Year of Installation:1992
Installed Costs: $1,200,000
Current Annual Savings: $120,000Antioch Community High School
School Location, Size, Population: Antioch, Illinois
262,000 sq ft
3000 students
Primary Fuel: Landfill gas located ½ mile away in a closed landfill
Design Engineering Firm: RMT, Inc., Madison WI
CHP Plant Equipment:
(12) 30 kW Capstone® Microturbines (2) Cain Heat Exchangers
Total System Installed Costs: (includes landfill gas cleanup, gas pipeline, CHP system, & 2 new buildings) – $1,900,000
CHP Maximum Thermal Output: 290,000 Btu/hr @ 550oF / each microturbine
School Energy Savings: $165,000 / year -
Industry
SC Johnson Waxdale Plant
Location:
Racine, Wisconsin
Installation Date:
Landfill CHP – 2003
Natural Gas CHP – 2005 Manufacturing Facility Footprint: 2.2 Million Square Feet
Fuel Type:
Landfill Gas & Natural Gas
Dist from Renewable Fuel Source: 2/3 of a mile
Prime Movers:
1 – 3.2 MW turbine (landfill gas) 1 – 3.2 MW turbine (natural gas) Heat Recovery:
2 – heat recovery steam generators. (HRSGs)
CHP System Capacity:
Electric – 6.4 MW
Thermal – 40,000 lbs/hr steam Combined Simple Payback:
6 yearsLorin Industries
Location: Muskegon, Michigan
Facility Size: 700,000 square feet
Facility Type: Metal Finishing, Anodized Aluminum Manufacturer
Maximum Electric Demand: 13 megawatts
Generating Equipment: Four 1,100 HP Caterpillar Reciprocating Engines
Generating Capacity: 3.2 megawatts (MW)
Primary Fuel: Natural Gas
Heat Recovery: Steam used to heat process tanksOperation Schedule: Primarily used as a peak shaver,24/5 Monday to Friday.
Local Electric Utility: Consumers Energy
Began Operation:October 1990Broshco Fabricated Products
Location: Mansfield, Ohio
Type of Industry: Automobile Seat Frame ManufacturerMaximum / Average Electric Demand: 4,000 kW / 3,000 kW
CHP Electric Capacity:4,550 kilowatts
CHP Thermal Capacity: 8 MMBtu/hr hot water heat recovery