Hess Microgen recently announced that it has officially started up an ultra-efficient onsite cogeneration system for Pacific Clay Products of Lake Elsinore, Calif. The advanced, one-megawatt cogeneration system, believed to be the first of its kind for a brick and tile manufacturer, will produce about 65% of Pacific Clay's electricity needs and provide a substantial amount of cogeneration heat to offset existing gas-driven product dryers, which are used to cure products after molding. The turnkey cogeneration system consists of five 200 kW natural-gas fired cogeneration packages, operating in parallel with the grid. The packaged system comes fully equipped, including ultra-efficient heat recovery equipment to convert heat from fuel combustion into usable heat for product drying. "This advanced cogeneration system is expected to reduce Pacific Clay's annual energy bill by $400,000 or more and achieve an economic payback on investment of less than two years," said Bob Miller, senior vice president of Hess Microgen.

For additional information, call (775) 884-1000, fax (775) 884-3417 or visit http://www.hessmicrogen.com.