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Product category: Industrial Motors
News Release from: WEG Electric Motors (UK)
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial Team on 24 February 2004

Sugar cane waste proves powerful stuff

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WEG is partnering with the largest alcohol plant in the world in a highly economical, environmentally friendly and extremely cost effective cogeneration project.

WEG is partnering with the largest alcohol plant in the world in a highly economical, environmentally friendly and extremely cost effective cogeneration project, which is leading the way in providing electrical power from sugar cane waste The project involves doubling the generation capacity of the Santa Elisa power plant in Sao Paulo from 30 to 60MW

In order to achieve this, WEG is providing a complete electrical package including two 15MW generators, three 15MW transformers, panels, cabinets and the complete automation system for the generation and distribution of energy.

The new investment allows the Santa Elisa plant to produce enough energy to supply a town with 110,000 people.

Half the 60MW capacity is used "in house" to process 35,000t of sugar cane a day resulting in 1.5 million litres of alcohol, 3000t of sugar and 10t of wastes (the raw material for power generation).

The other half is sold to a local utility (CPFL), increasing its capacity from 10 to 40MW.

The use of sugar cane waste as fuel means that the generation process is highly economical, environmentally friendly and also extremely cost effective, as any excess energy produced can be sold, evidencing the fact that cogeneration of electric energy is the solution to overcome any supplying shortfalls that can result in damaging and expensive interruptions in production.

WEG provided the complete electrical design for the newly expanded plant, in addition to supplying two 15MW generators, three MW transformers, low and medium voltage panels, and cabinets, plus the automation system for generation and distribution of energy, which allows supervision and control of the whole process.

WEG, in conjunction with Electric Engenharia and CPFL, also supplied the upgrading substation (from 18.8 to 138kV) and its power supply line, and in partnership with Sermatec carried out the complete electrical installation.

A special feature of the power generation and distribution system supplied by WEG to Santa Elisa is that it allows remote supervision and control of the whole energy generation processes.

In addition to providing local supervision and control at the job site, the system allows quick, safe and simple monitoring and maintenance control via the Internet.

"Cost reduction to the customer is one of the main advantages of this remote control, via the Internet since it avoids travel time and allows quick WEG diagnostic and support, whenever it is required", says engineer Edson Basquiroto, Application Software section head, of WEG's Automation Design department.

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