Toray Plastics (America) Inc. is a big believer in cogeneration.
So much so that the maker of polyester, polypropylene, metallized and bio-based films is moving forward with a second such project at its North Kingstown, R.I., campus.
Toray Plastics figures to spend $22.7 million to construct a new cogeneration project that will create both electricity and heat from natural gas.
That electricity and thermal energy and heat will be used for production at the company's Torayfan polypropylene film division as well as the site's main office building, according to an email interview with a company representative.
Toray Plastics already has a cogeneration system that allows the company to operate a portion of its 70-acre site independent of the local electrical grid. That system supplies power to the firm's Lumirror polyester film division.
CEO Rick Schloesser said in a statement that cutting energy consumption and reducing the company's carbon footprint “is good for business, people, and the environment.”
An energy efficiency program through National Grid, an electricity company that serves the site, will help cover a portion of the costs. Toray Plastics declined to specify that funding, indicating it was proprietary information.
PP film is used for a variety of food and industrial applications with the primary market being packaging for snack food, cookie and confectionary products, the company said.
Toray Plastics (America) is a unit of Toray Industries Inc., a $19 billion company with interests in synthetic fibers and textiles, carbon fibers, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and high-performance films.