Company uses turbine to create electricity from coke oven gas while dramatically reducing CO2 emissions
JINAN, China, Sept. 3 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- A Chinese customer of Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) subsidiary Solar Turbines is the first foreign business to win the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) International CHP Award. Since 1999, the award has been given to organizations that increase electric generation efficiency through the development of highly efficient combined heat and power (CHP) projects. United States Assistant Secretary of Commerce David Bohigian presented the award to Shandong Jinneng Coal Gasification Co., Ltd. for its use of a Solar turbine to create electricity from burning coke oven gas at an operation in Shandong province.
"A growing number of coke oven gas operators in China are turning to our turbines to convert this hazardous gas into electricity," said Steve Gosselin, Caterpillar vice president with responsibility for Solar Turbines Incorporated. "Using Solar turbines in a coke oven gas application not only makes commercial sense, but as this award demonstrates, it also benefits the environment."
The EPA estimates that the Solar based CHP system at Shandong Jinneng Coal Gasification reduces CO2 emissions by 40,000 tons per year, the equivalent of removing annual emissions from approximately 6,600 automobiles.
The company uses a Solar(TM) gas turbine to burn coke oven gas to create electricity. Waste heat from the turbine is also used to produce steam. The power plant operates at 68 percent efficiency and uses about 26 percent less fuel than equivalent separate heat and power.
"The use of this technology and the award from the EPA is another example of the value that Caterpillar and its companies can bring to our customers in China," said Tom Bluth, Caterpillar vice president with responsibility for Asia Pacific manufacturing operations. "As Caterpillar expands its operations and business in China, we will continue to enhance our offerings to drive sustainable development and the sustainable benefits of working with a global leader that provides solutions to make our customers more successful."
About Solar Turbines:
Solar Turbines Incorporated, headquartered in San Diego, California, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc. Solar manufactures the world’s most widely used family of mid-sized industrial gas turbines. More than 12,000 Solar units are operating in 93 countries around the world. Primary applications include electric power generation, oil and natural gas production and gas transmission.
About Caterpillar
For more than 80 years, Caterpillar Inc. has been making progress possible and driving positive and sustainable change on every continent. With 2007 sales and revenues of $44.958 billion, Caterpillar is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines. The company also is a leading services provider through Caterpillar Financial Services, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services, Caterpillar Logistics Services and Progress Rail Services. More information is available at: http://www.cat.com .
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