Poultry Processor Installs $5.3M Cogeneration Plant

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Blue Earth energized its initial combined heat and power (CHP) energy plant at the Pilgrim's Pride poultry processing facility in Sumter, South Carolina. With the CHP plant, electricity is generated, and the heat from the generator is captured for useful purposes, lowering energy costs and improving energy efficiency.

The co-generation energy facility uses methane made from the Pilgrim's Pride digester for hot water and electricity generation, as well as useable gas for the plant boilers. Insulated hot water storage tanks were also part of the project to upgrade the plant’s thermal system. Previously, the methane was flared off into the environment.

Blue Earth owns and operates the $5.3 million energy plant. The project is Blue Earth’s first as an an independent power producer, receiving long term recurring revenue for hot water and scrubbed methane gas, as well as the electrical power sold to the local utility Duke Energy under a power purchase agreement (PPA).

Environment + Energy Leader