The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has bestowed Eastman Chemical Companys Kingsport, Tennessee Campus plant with an Energy Star Chip award. The awards are given when a CHP system demonstrates considerable fuel and emissions savings over comparable separate heat and power generation.
The Tennessee Campus plant was specifically given the award for its 200 MW CHP system, which includes 17 GE steam turbine generators. Many steam turbines are constructed using stainless steel because of the harsh environment the equipment must work in. In the facility, 17 boilers produce steam to support manufacturing processes, help meet the space heating/cooling needs of 550 buildings, and drive 17 GE and two ABB steam turbine generators with a combined design output of 200 MW. With an operating efficiency of more than 78 percent, the predominantly coal-fired system requires approximately 14 percent less fuel than grid-supplied electricity and conventional steam production, saving Eastman Chemical approximately USD$45 million per year.
EPA also gave Energy Star Chip awards to Janssen Research & Development (one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson) for its 3.8MW CHP system and Mercks West Point facility for its CoGen3 CHP system.