Pernis, the Netherlands
Raising industrial steam with the waste heat from electricity production significantly improves energy efficiency. This is what is now happening at Shell’s Pernis refinery in the Netherlands. In late 2008, a new natural-gas fired combined heat and power (CHP) plant started providing steam to the refinery and electricity to the refinery and the grid. It replaces steam boilers that burnt residual heavy fuel oil and a small, older gas-fired cogeneration unit. Built and operated by Air Liquide, the new plant will produce over 400 tonnes of steam an hour, meeting almost half the refinery’s needs and producing 50MW of power for the refinery. As a result, emissions of sulphur dioxide and particulates from power and steam production at the refinery are expected to drop by more than 90% and CO2 emissions to be reduced by 300,000 tonnes per year. In addition, the plant will supply 250MW of electricity to the grid, enough to meet the needs of around 500,000 Dutch households.
