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    MPC Energy Solutions installing LNG-fired CHP plant to energize Optics Manufacturing in Puerto Rico

    March 28, 2023
    The 2.6-MW, grid-tied power facility will generate electricity and chillled water for private off-taker AMO Manufacturing, a local subsidiary and production facility for Johnson & Johnson Vision
    Mpc Chp 64234bec95eb2

    On-site power project developer MPC Energy Solutions is locating a liquified natural gas (LNG)-fired combined heat and power (CHP) plant in Añasco, Puerto Rico.

    The LNG CHP is MPC’s second project on the island. The 2.6-MW, grid-tied power facility will generate electricity and chilled water for private off-taker AMO Manufacturing (formerly Abbott Medical Optics), a local subsidiary and production facility for Johnson & Johnson Vision.

    “The new project is another important step in terms of executing on our project pipeline and demonstrates MPC Energy Solution’s continued commitment to Puerto Rico,” MPC Energy Solutions CEO Martin Vogt said in a statement. “We are keen to grow our portfolio further to achieve critical size and economies of scale in Puerto Rico.”

    Last year, MPC Energy Solutions started operations on its recently completed CHP project in Neol, Puerto Rico. The Neol plant is expected to generate about 26 GWh of electricity annually for another medical firm, pharmaceutical Neolpharma Inc.

    The new CHP facility will generate an expected 13 GWh in electrical power and 2.6 million tons of chilled water for customer AMO Manufacturing annually. Johnson & Johnson acquired the AMO unit in a $4.3 billion deal six years ago, giving it a deeper foothold into the cataract surgery and other ophthalmics products, according to previous reports.

    Amsterdam-based MPC will invest about $6 million to develop the new CHP plant after acquiring a majority position. Enernet Global, a distributed energy service company, is partnering with MPC on the Añasco CHP plant same as they did in Neol.

    Enernet owns and operates hybrid power systems in Latin America, Africa, Australia and Asia. The partnership helps MPC gain access to the growing microgrid sector in new markets. MPC owns a minority stake in Enernet Global.

    “We are excited to partner with MPC Energy Solutions for this second CHP project in Puerto Rico,” Enernet Global CEO Paul Matthews said. “Together with MPCES we continue to support Puerto Rico as it strives to reduce its carbon emissions and make the transition from fossil fuels toward cleaner energies.

    The plant will use Siemens Energy engines, while Teksol is turnkey contractor on the construction phase.

    LNG, often shipped from port terminals on the U.S. Gulf Coast, is natural gas chilled to liquefy and make it more stable for shipping and storage. Gas-fired power still emits greenhouse gas emissions, but only about half of the CO2 compared to coal-fired power and less than diesel generators.

    Just in the past year, MPC has completed or announced new projects in several developing countries, including El Salvador, Colombia and Guatemala.

    About the Author

    Rod Walton, EnergyTech Managing Editor | Senior Editor

    For EnergyTech editorial inquiries, please contact Managing Editor Rod Walton at [email protected].

    Rod Walton has spent 15 years covering the energy industry as a newspaper and trade journalist. He formerly was energy writer and business editor at the Tulsa World. Later, he spent six years covering the electricity power sector for Pennwell and Clarion Events. He joined Endeavor and EnergyTech in November 2021.

    Walton earned his Bachelors degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma. His career stops include the Moore American, Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise, Wagoner Tribune and Tulsa World. 

    EnergyTech is focused on the mission critical and large-scale energy users and their sustainability and resiliency goals. These include the commercial and industrial sectors, as well as the military, universities, data centers and microgrids. The C&I sectors together account for close to 30 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.

    He was named Managing Editor for Microgrid Knowledge and EnergyTech starting July 1, 2023

    Many large-scale energy users such as Fortune 500 companies, and mission-critical users such as military bases, universities, healthcare facilities, public safety and data centers, shifting their energy priorities to reach net-zero carbon goals within the coming decades. These include plans for renewable energy power purchase agreements, but also on-site resiliency projects such as microgrids, combined heat and power, rooftop solar, energy storage, digitalization and building efficiency upgrades.

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