Two Caterpillar Customers Recognized by Environmental Protection Agency for Combined Heat and Power System

For Worldwide Release: January 9, 2017
Release Number: EEPR0117

PEORIA, IL – Caterpillar Inc. today announced that two combined heat and power (CHP) customers received a 2016 Energy Star CHP Award from the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The Energy Star CHP Awards honor companies and organizations utilizing CHP systems to reduce pollution, save money and help strengthen the nation’s electrical infrastructure. Award-winning Caterpillar customers University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Center (UM UCMC) and University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) use a Cat® G3516H natural gas generator set and a 7.5 MW natural gas-fired Solar Turbines combustion turbine generator, respectively, in their CHP systems to help provide reliable, low cost energy to the facility. 

The CHP system at UM UCMC, when combined with the facility’s emergency backup diesel generator set, can power 65 percent of the campus loads and 90 percent of healthcare occupancy loads. In addition to power, the updated system uses waste heat to produce steam and create cool water for the air conditioning system.

“One of the reasons we went with a CHP system is because we could have a high-efficiency generator set that would still meet emissions reduction levels,” said Don Allik, director of facilities at UM UCMC. “This award validates our decision and encourages us to continue working toward more sustainable power generation at the medical center.”

The Solar Turbines Taurus 70 based CHP system at UMMS has an impressive efficiency of 73 percent, which requires approximately 20 percent less fuel than conventional separate electricity and steam production. The reduced fuel use avoids emissions of more than 21,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually, equal to the emissions from the generation of electricity used by more than 2,800 homes.

“As a medical center, energy efficiency and resiliency are essential to control the cost and reliability of health care. This expanded power plant reduces the facility’s cost of energy by approximately $3 million annually and we are pleased to see our customer receive this award and be recognized for their leadership in sustainable solutions for their community and the environment,” said Tiffany Yarling, Corporate Communications Manager at Solar Turbines Incorporated.

For more information, visit www.cat.com/powergeneration or e-mail cat_power@cat.com.

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About Caterpillar

For 90 years, Caterpillar Inc. has been making sustainable progress possible and driving positive change on every continent. Customers turn to Caterpillar to help them develop infrastructure, energy and natural resource assets. With 2015 sales and revenues of $47.01 billion, Caterpillar is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. The company principally operates through its three product segments - Construction Industries, Resource Industries and Energy & Transportation - and also provides financing and related services through its Financial Products segment. For more information, visit caterpillar.com. To connect with us on social media, visit caterpillar.com/social-media.

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