St. Paul Cogeneration Biomass Plant
Overview:
District Energy St. Paul currently heats about 80 percent of the commercial, residential and industrial buildings in downtown Saint Paul and adjacent areas, including the State Capitol Complex and all downtown city offices. Its affiliate, District Cooling St. Paul, began providing cooling service in 1993 and today serves about 60 percent of downtown buildings.
District Energy’s primary source of hot water is produced at a biomass-fueled Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant, jointly owned by Ever-Green Energy and Duke Energy Generation Services, called St. Paul Cogeneration. CHP, also known as cogeneration, is the simultaneous production of heat and electricity for distribution. The CHP plant is the largest wood-fired facility serving a district energy system in the nation.
Combined Heat and Power Plant:
The CHP plant adjacent to District Energy is fueled by clean urban wood residue. Wood residue is a form of biomass—a sustainable, renewable energy derived from plants and other organic matter. This renewable Saint Paul system primarily uses wood from municipal and private tree and brush sites, storm events and commercial tree trimmings and removals.
The CHP plant simultaneously produces heat and 25 megawatts of electricity, making it more than twice as efficient as a conventional electric power plant.
Awards for this system include, the Inspiring Efficiency Innovation Award (Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance 2006), Contributions to Renewable Energy (American Council on Renewable Energy 2006) and the Environmental Initiative Award (Minnesota Environmental Initiative 2005).
Benefits:
- 70% reduction in use of coal
- 50% reduction in particulates
- Greenhouse gas reduced by up to 280,000 tons annually
- Keeps energy dollars in the local economy
