where does steam come from?
The steam business in Detroit is over 100 years old. The growth of the steam business in Detroit has mirrored the growth of the electric industry and was inspired by entrepreneurial minds, like Thomas Edison, that created so many of the products that we still rely upon today. Detroit Thermal, LLC manufactures steam using natural gas from three plants strategically located within the footprint of greater downtown Detroit. Detroit Thermal, LLC has a combined peak day steam generating capacity of over 3,225 thousand pounds per hour (Mlb) and utilizes a network of over 39 miles of underground pipeline to supply steam for heating and cooling many of the commercial office buildings, municipal office buildings, hospitals, and universities in downtown Detroit.
Additionally, Detroit Thermal, LLC purchases steam from the Greater Detroit Resource Recovery Authority (GDRRA) (see link below) a refuse derived fuel (RDF) and combined heat and power (CHP) plant that began commercial operation in October 1991. GDRRA operates the facility under contract with the City. The facility is permitted to receive up to 4,000 tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) per day. The MSW is processed as RDF, which is then burned in the furnaces, producing 720,000 pounds of steam per hour. The steam is used to generate up to 68 megawatts of electricity and supply export steam at a peak rate of up to 550,000 pounds per hour. The electricity is sold to the Detroit Edison Electric Company and the thermal energy is delivered to Detroit Thermal, LLC.
www.ci.detroit.mi.us
www.districtenergy.org
www.gdrra.org
