As energy usage and demands transition toward renewable sources and flexible solutions, it is important to ensure that cogeneration assets continue to help these operations meet their financial targets – both on day one and in a future driven by low-carbon fuel integration, high flexibility needs and new energy markets. Gas turbine equipment must serve as more than just power – and heat-making machines. Pulp and paper operations are seeking intelligent solutions that:

• Reduce energy costs today and in the future;
• Maximize the use of renewables when available with flexible power and heat generation;
• Offer flexibility in terms of using low-carbon fuels;
• Remain power and heat-resilient to guarantee tissue production output.

Achieving all of these goals is possible with the right partner – one with the required technical capabilities, demonstrated financial solidity and long-term strategy, for maintaining and upgrading assets for the next 25 years. With a fleet of more than 16,000 units and 1,200 gas turbine powered industrial cogeneration plants worldwide, Solar Turbines is well placed to provide such solutions to the pulp and paper market.

Cogeneration and CHP installations can reduce our customers’ carbon footprint and reduce energy consumption in pulp and paper production

Energy savings and higher efficiency

Solar Turbines and its partners in the tissue machine industry are leaders in integrated cogeneration applications. Gas turbine exhaust is fed directly into the Yankee hood, and the remaining thermal energy that exits is driven to a heat-recovery steam generator that produces the steam required in the hood. The resulting electricity can be used in the factory or exported to the national grid.

Tissue machine integrated cogeneration with gas turbines brings several advantages in the tissue market, including: financial savings by reducing overall gas consumption and electricity costs; enhanced productivity by using a very stable source of heat; improved efficiency; increased reliability and availability.

Future-proof solutions

Fuel flexibility. Solar Turbines brings decades of hydrogen-rich gas-fired turbine experience to allow pulp and paper operations to transition with confidence to hydrogen and natural gas blends when they’re available in national gas grids.

Energy cost/revenue optimization. Associated with integrated cogeneration that can independently modulate heat and electricity production, Solar Energy Optimization and the Solar Digital software suite enables operations to determine in real time the best way to operate all assets to maximize energy-related cashflows. This is achieved by finding the optimal CHP running point between tissue plant needs, power grid market revenues and costs (balancing, frequency response, spot price, etc.) and CHP operating and lifecycle costs.

Resiliency and availability. Outstanding customer service – which includes locally based field engineers with broad skill sets, an engine exchange program and the InSight Platform™ for managing connected equipment – helps ensure the highest levels of gas turbine resiliency and availability.

Solar Turbines is committed to supporting tissue operations through the energy transition with our flexible and efficient combined heat and power assets, supported by an intelligent platform, to minimize plant CO₂ emissions, capture the energy market opportunities and ensure long-term success.