Current Status

Nationally, fifteen rubber and plastics sites use combined heat and power.4 In our region, there are three: the Himont USA plant in Lake Charles, Louisiana; the Firestone Tire and Rubber plant in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Bayer Corporation's rubber plant in Sabine Texas.3 These three sites represent approximately 1% of the total number of CHP installations for our region; the first being the Himont plant in 1979.3

For CHP installations listed by state, go to Combined Heat and Power Installation Database.

Nationwide, present CHP capacity for this market has been estimated at approximately 765 MW.1,4 This figure accounts for <1% of the total national CHP capacity, assuming a total capacity of 80,905 MW (see chart below).2 The Rubber and Plastics percentage is incorporated into the ‘Other Mfg' pie slice.

• More than half the sites use natural gas; the remaining use coal, wood, or other fuels.
• More than half the sites use steam boilers; the remaining use combined cycle systems, reciprocating engines or combustion turbines.
• Just over half the sites sell excess power to the utilities.
• Two-thirds of the CHP facilities are owned by third parties, and one-third are self-owned.

Select Case Studies to see how others have implemented CHP.

In our region as of 2004, the rubber and plastics market had an installed CHP capacity of 221 MW, which represents <1% of the total regional CHP capacity.2 In the chart below the rubber and plastics percentage is again grouped in the ‘Other Mfg.' slice.


Although CHP has been implemented at only a few Rubber and Plastics sites to date; this pattern does not reflect the true value of CHP to this market. Significant upside potential exists for CHP in this sector - estimated at 4.5 times the capacity already implemented.5 Go to Future Potential for more on this topic.

• Two large (100+ MW) and one moderate capacity system (10 MW)
• Prime movers are combined cycle and boiler/steam turbine.
• Prime movers are fueled by natural gas.
• At least one site, and possible two, sells excess power to the utilities.