Cogeneration plant leading at energy saving and emissions reduction

Flint Group Caronno Pertusella site (VA, Lombardia, Italy) produces about 23.000 tons of resins for inks every year. 88 Flint Group employees work here and the Plant area is wide 37.619 m2. All the activities in the plant consume about 5 GWh of electricity per year and about 1.700 Sm3 of gas per year.

After a successful energy saving plan started in 2007 with an energy consumption reduction of about 15%, Resins and site Director Ing. Enrico Boffi decided to make the next big step with the installation of a cogeneration plant.

He started work with the installation of a 530 kWel Cogeneration plant powered by natural gas for the production of electrical and thermal energy for process use and requalification of the integrated thermal power plant. He had the idea that optimisation of the input energy flows necessary for this Flint Group plant could be generated by the combined production of thermal and electrical energy on site.

He found in Edison S.p.A. a capable energy partner for the project signing an 8 year «tolling» contract, generating an economic saving for Flint Group since the first year of operation, with an average 35% reduction in energy costs.

The next phase in the cogeneration project was temporarly suspended by the Covid-19 lockdown. Once this new phase is operational it will result in an 80% reduction in the plant’s reliance on the electrical grid/network and a reduction in CO2 emissions equal to -770 tCO2 per year (that corresponds to a saving of 962 trees!).

The Cogeneration plant consists of a 530 kWel indoor gen-set, capable of generating up to 600 kWth, divided between hot water and steam, through its heat recovery systems.
Caronno Pertusella plant is also equipped with an SCR system capable of significantly reducing NOx emissions.

This is a great example of how plant efficiency and technology can help environmental sustainability.