Beverage Maker Suntory Reduces CO2 Emissions Using Cogeneration Systems

Suntory Ltd., a major Japanese beverage manufacturer, expects major energy savings from the installation of an addtional cogeneration system at its beer factory in Kyoto. With the system, which generates both electricity and heat for the factory, Suntory expects to reduce energy consumption by 16 percent and annual CO2 emissions by 6,800 tons (14 percent) compared to 1999. The system also provides 60 percent of electric power consumption within the factory.

The factory introduced a gas-turbine cogeneration system (No. 1 unit) in 2000 and a gas-engine system (No. 2 unit) in December 2004, raising the energy efficiency of power generation to 93.5 percent for the No. 1 unit and 75 percent for the No. 2 unit. These ratios are much higher than 60 to 65 percent usually obtained from conventional systems.

The No. 1 unit is fueled by natural gas to generate electricity. Its exhaust heat and steam generated by the combustion of biogas collected in the anaerobic waste water treatment system are utilized in various processes in the factory. The gas engine system introduced in the No. 2 unit was fueled by city gas, and chosen to shift the priority from heat generation to power generation, based on a thorough analysis of the power consumption composition of the factory. The unit system effectively uses exhaust heat and hot water from the power generation process. The factory runs a cooling system based on thermal energy, rather than electricity, and this contributes to a significant power saving in the cooling processes indispensable for beer brewing.

Continuing to make efforts to save energy and to reduce CO2 emissions, Suntory plans to introduce cogeneration systems to two more factories by the end of this year.



Posted: 2005/07/08 09:00:36 AM
Japanese version