GE 'green' power kit for William Grant distillery

Girvan, UK - GE is to supply a combined heat and power system, with a Jenbacher J620 gas engine, to William Grant & Sons’ Girvan distillery in Girvan, Scotland. The J620 gas engine will create 3MW of additional power while reusing the CO2 typically emitted as waste during the manufacturing process, increasing plant efficiency and reducing the carbon footprint of the facility.

Operating on biogas (created from residual malt materials used in distillation to produce alcohol), the J620 will be the fourth Jenbacher gas engine onsite and will solidify Grant’s as one of the cleanest and largest independent power producers in the region.

“Our ability to generate on-site power at the Girvan distillery has been critical in our continued efforts to reduce our carbon footprint while increasing efficiency,” said Conn Lynch, Girvan site leader. “The addition of the J620 also qualifies this site for Renewable Obligation Certificates, once again adding to our extensive green credentials.”

Grant’s already has three J420 Jenbacher gas engines installed at the plant, with two commissioned in 2009 and one commissioned this summer. In total, the generation plant can generate about 7MW. The new engine, supplied to Grant’s through Clarke Energy in Liverpool, has the ability to run at excess of 43% electrical efficiency operating on biogas.

As such, the J620 enables customers to utilize local and abundant waste materials for independent power generation. At Grant’s, the J620, which will be operational early next year, will reuse the whisky wastewater (typically cast off as waste during the manufacturing process) to power the facility.

This, in turn, will reduce the waste generated during the distilling process and allow the facility to operate at increased efficiency. Meanwhile, the engine’s exhaust also will be captured and recovered as thermal (heat) power to produce steam used in the distilling process.