Current Status

CHP is found at 210 food manufacturing sites nationwide.6 The map below shows these sites grouped by state. Texas has 7 sites, Louisiana has 8 sites and Oklahoma has none.


For a list of CHP installations by state, go to Combined Heat and Power Installation Database.

Nationwide, CHP capacity for this market is estimated at nearly 6500 MW.2 This figure accounts for 8% of the total CHP capacity for the nation (see chart below).2


CHP capacity in this market is dominated by large-sized systems. Sizes greater than 50 MW represent 70% of the national capacity.4 However, many CHP sites have smaller capacity systems.


*Note: Current capacity shown here (4595 MW) is smaller than that reported above (~6500 MW). Figures were published in 2000 and 2005, respectively. This lack of consistency results from an increase in CHP capacity between publication dates, and from a more comprehensive database.5

In addition to generating power, CHP can also be used to drive machinery and refrigeration / cooling equipment. Current installed capacity is estimated at 3 to 4 million tons.3 Since refrigeration is such an important element of the Food Manufacturing market, let's take a closer look.

The graphs below show refrigeration applications in various sub sectors sorted by smaller (<250 HP) and larger (>250 HP) compressor capacities. Food processing accounts for 29-30% of the total capacity in both charts, while dairy is 13-14%, meat packing is 19-20% and beverages are 1-2%. Heat recovery from engine-driven equipment (e.g. from engine jackets and exhaust heat) and heat recovered from other operations to power absorption chillers are two possible applications of CHP.

• Sites fueled by primarily by natural gas with lesser amounts of coal, oil, and waste.
• Sites primarily use steam boilers with lesser numbers of reciprocating engines, combustion turbines and combined cycle systems.
• 46% of the sites sell excess capacity to the utilities
• 64% of the sites own their CHP system, while 36% of the systems have third party ownership.

In our region, food manufacturing industries have invested in combined heat and power for more than seventy-five years.1 The first installation was in 1930 at the Colonial Sugar Refinery in Gramercy, Louisiana.1

Today, CHP is found at 15 food manufacturing sites located in Louisiana and Texas.1 This number represents approximately 7% of the total number of CHP installations for our region.1

In our region as of 2004, the food manufacturing market had an installed CHP capacity of 233 MW. This represents 1% of the total regional CHP capacity.2

• Moderate capacity systems (1-10 MW), although one large system is also installed.
• Prime movers that are boiler/steam turbine systems, with one combined cycle system and three reciprocating engine systems
• Prime movers fueled by natural gas and biomass, with one fueled by oil.
• Twenty percent of the sites sell excess power to the utilities.

For more on food sub sectors, go to CHP in the Food and Beverage Manufacturing Industry.