POWER October 2010 - 28

TOP PLANTS
ADM Clinton Cogeneration Plant,
Clinton, Iowa
Owner/operator:
Archer Daniels Midland Co.
In the heart of corn country, Archer Daniels Midland is using seed corn that is no
longer suitable for planting, along with coal, to power its 180-MW Clinton cogeneration
plant. The cogeneration plant, which began operations in 2008, supports
ADM's Clinton corn processing plant, one of the largest corn wet mills in the world.
It also supports ADM's facility that produces renewable plastic from corn sugar.
Firing up to 20% biomass along with coal, the new cogeneration plant is capable
of providing 100% of the steam and electrical power needs of both facilities.
By Angela Neville, JD
D
esigned to accommodate a wide variety
of fuels, including materials that
would otherwise be discarded, Archer
Daniels Midland's (ADM's) cogeneration
plant in Clinton, Iowa, has lessened the
economic impact of changing energy costs
and reduced the need for fossil energy.
In addition to supporting ADM's large
corn processing operations, the Clinton
cogeneration plant also provides process
steam and electricity to a facility at ADM's
Clinton complex that produces renewable
plastic. Named " Mirel, " these plastic resins
are made by using corn sugar and can biodegrade
in natural environments. The Mirel
facility also produces a biomass co-product
that the cogeneration plant will use as a fuel
to help minimize the facility's overall carbon
footprint.
With its experience at two other major
cogeneration sites (Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and
Decatur, Ill.), ADM recognized the importance
of having the flexibility to burn alternatives
fuels, because they potentially create
28
both economic and environmental benefits.
ADM's Clinton cogeneration plant also burns
a biomass by-product from the company's
wastewater treatment facility.
" The new cogeneration plant has reduced
ADM's vulnerability to fluctuating energy
costs, " said Kevin Duffy, plant manager of the
Clinton cogeneration plant. " We continue to
seek ways to improve efficiency and reduce
costs. Burning alternative fuels, including
biomass, is part of this initiative. Our plant
began burning biofuels in January 2010. "
Constructing the New
Cogeneration Plant
" The old powerhouse (50% natural gas-fired
boilers, 50% coal-fired) did meet our steam
production needs but only provided up to
30% of our electrical power requirements, "
Duffy said. " We decided to invest in a new
cogeneration plant rather than upgrade the
existing plant. The new cogeneration plant is
capable of providing 100% of our steam and
electrical power needs. "
www.powermag.com
In August 2004, ADM began purchasing
property for the site, which today is more
than 44 acres. On June 8, 2005, the company
broke ground at the site. In September of
2008, the cogeneration plant started the first
boiler. By July 2009, construction was completed
and the facility was in full operation.
Facility Operations
Although the plant has a 180-MW total
nameplate capacity for its two generators,
the normal generation capacity is 130 MW to
meet the requirements of the processing site.
" In the last 12 months, the facility generated
938,000 MWh, inclusive of some downtime
related to commissioning issues, " Duffy
said. " The plant normally generates more
than 1,000,000 MWh on a yearly basis. "
Duffy provided the following information
about equipment currently used at the cogeneration
plant:
■ Two steam turbine generators manufactured
by GE Energy (GE Model 7A6): Unit 1 has
POWER | October 2010
http://www.powermag.com
POWER October 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of POWER October 2010
