WISYNCO Group says it has already identified a partner for its cogeneration plant.

When the company first signalled its intention to invest in the energy savings facility, it noted that it would opt for a system that uses a liquid propane gas generator to both power its chilled water system and produce carbon dioxide to be effectively utilised to create the bubbles in its soft drinks.

It would also include an expanded biological waste-water treatment plant to purify water — used to clean the equipment — before it is released into the environment.

“We are very close to finalising the deal, we’ve identified a partner and have decided which system to use,” chairman of Wisynco Group, William Mahfood told Caribbean Business Report.

The large manufacturing and distributing company will join beer maker, Red Stripe and poultry processor, Jamaica Broilers, which have invested in cogeneration plants.

Red Stripe expects their plant, which was set to become operational next month to cut its electricity bill by as much as half.

The plan is to use liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to fire its dual fuel engine until liquefied natural gas (LNG) becomes available in Jamaica.

Utilisation of waste heat for steam production also reduces the requirement for cooling water supplies for power generation and eliminates the need for structures such as the cooling towers that dominate the skyline in a conventional power plant.

Meanwhile, Jamaica Broilers has been operating a cogeneration plant for a decade. It was reported to have remained fully operational for the duration of Hurricane Ivan and ensured that the Group was able to resume production of its lead protein product well ahead of the return of the public electricity supply.