Constellation and P&G Developing $200 Million Biomass Plant

Chances are, you use Procter & Gamble’s products several times a day–then throw them away. The consumer products company had $83 billion in sales last year, which adds up to a lot of paper towels, diapers and packaging potentially ending up in a landfill. That’s why P&G is so committed to eliminating waste and finding ways to reuse it.

Now it’s taking a major step toward making waste more useful with the development of a 50-megawatt biomass plant to power one of its largest facilities in the United States.

Constellation will build, own and operate the $200 million cogeneration plant, which will supply steam to P&G’s Albany, Ga., paper manufacturing facility and generate electricity for the local utility, Georgia Power. Construction has already begun, with the plant scheduled to begin operating in June 2017. The project is expected to create up to 500 new jobs over the next two years, with an additional 50 to 70 permanent local jobs for ongoing operations once the plant is built.

How It Works

The new facility will replace P&G’s aging boiler with a highly efficient combined heat and power biomass unit. It will be fueled with materials that would otherwise have been left to decay or pile up in a landfill, including discarded tree tops, limbs, branches and scrap wood from local forestry operations, pecan shells and peanut hulls, and mill waste, such as sawdust.

This biomass will provide 100 percent of the steam and up to 60-70 percent of the total energy used to manufacture Bounty paper towels and Charmin toilet tissue.

Impact on the Environment

The plant will significantly increase P&G’s use of renewable energy, helping move the company closer to its goal of obtaining 30 percent of its total energy from renewable sources by 2020.

This reduces the environmental footprint for two of P&G’s leading brands, a win for businesses, consumers and future generations, said Martin Riant, P&G Executive Sponsor of Sustainability and Group President, Global Baby and Feminine & Family Care.

Even the development of the project illustrates a commitment to sustainability.

In the planning stages, P&G and Constellation outlined sustainable “procurement standards” for the project.

These standards complement P&G’s responsible wood fiber procurement policy for its tissue, towel and absorbent hygiene business, as well as Constellation’s commitment to energy options for customers that benefit the environment.

Georgia Power’s purchase of energy from Constellation, at or below Georgia Power’s avoided cost, is part of the company’s multifaceted strategy to encourage and cultivate renewable energy sources in Georgia. It was made possible under a program developed in coordination with and approved by the Georgia Public Service Commission.

Constellation is currently under contract to sell 42 MW of capacity and energy from the 50 MW facility to Georgia Power.

Why Constellation Is Involved

The new biomass facility is Constellation’s newest project in its growing distributed energy business, which has more than 300 megawatts of assets in operation or under development.

Constellation is uniquely positioned to support Procter & Gamble’s renewable energy goals because of our leadership in both retail energy supply and distributed generation.

That includes developing, owning and operating onsite solar units and combined units that simultaneously generate electricity and heat since 2007.

“Increasingly, our customers are looking for comprehensive energy options that enhance operational efficiencies and sustainability,” Constellation Senior Vice President of Distributed Energy Gary Fromer said. “Constellation can deliver innovative, clean energy solutions that drive value for our customers.”

This project is one of many unique solutions we offer to help our commercial and industrial customers achieve their goals for managing energy usage while reducing the impact they have on the environment.

We invite you to learn more about our solutions for renewable energy or contact us today to talk about your options.