W.R. Grace Depends On Cogeneration To Offset Energy Costs
The W.R. Grace & Co. Curtis Bay facility in South Baltimore, Maryland produces catalysts and silicas used to make anything from pharmaceuticals to toothpaste, gasoline, and bottles and cans. Operating 24/7, the facility’s electrical demand, electrical consumption, and natural gas usage varies by month. To meet its varying power demand, the Curtis Bay plant receives electricity and natural gas from Baltimore Gas & Electric, with an average load of 12 MW.
Unreliable power due to aging infrastructure is an ongoing challenge for the facility.
“Loss of power is a big issue on this site—it shuts down basically all of our production, and if we’re not producing product, we’re not making money,” says project manager Richard Martin.
W.R. Grace commissioned the CHP plant in November 2019, installing two Cat® 3520H generator sets, each with an oxidation catalyst and a selective catalytic reduction system, to power the system.
Combined, the two generator sets product about 5 MW of electric power, offsetting about 40 percent of the plant’s annual power consumption.
“The CHP system is a key tool for our plant to remain competitive, reduce our GHG emissions, and improve our long-term sustainability goals.” – Richard Martin, project manager for W.R. Grace.
Benefits of the CHP system include an estimated annual energy savings of $1.2 million, increased reliability of its electrical supply, and expected annual greenhouse gas reduction of 14,415 tons CO2e.
As a result, W.R. Grace commissioned a combined heat and power (CHP) plant that includes two Cat® 3520H generator sets equipped with oxidation catalysts and selective catalytic reduction systems to meet stringent environmental criteria. Combined, the generator sets produce about 5 MW of electric power, offsetting about 40 percent of the plant’s annual power consumption. The CHP system also recovers heat to use in its manufacturing process.
The Curtis Bay plant has experienced numerous benefits from its CHP system, including an estimated $1.2 million in annual energy savings, increased reliability, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
“The CHP system is a key tool for our plant to remain competitive, reduce our GHG emissions, and improve our long-term sustainability goals.”
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