Overall Rating Reporter - expired
Overall Score
Liaison Patrick McKee
Submission Date April 15, 2013
Executive Letter Download

STARS v1.2

University of Connecticut
OP-8: Clean and Renewable Energy

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete Reporter Jennifer Clinton
Sustainability Coordinator
Office of Environmental Policy
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Option 1: Total clean and renewable electricity generated on site during the performance year and for which the institution retains or has retired the associated environmental attributes :
7,755.50 MMBtu

Option 2: Non-electric renewable energy generated:
1,147.30 MMBtu

Option 3: Total clean and renewable electricity generated by off-site projects that the institution catalyzed and for which the institution retains or has retired the associated environmental attributes :
0 MMBtu

Option 4: Total RECs and other similar renewable energy products that the institution purchased during the performance year that are Green-e certified or meet the Green-e standard's technical requirements and are third party verified:
0 MMBtu

Option 5: Total electricity generated with cogeneration technology using non-renewable fuel sources :
412,293.60 MMBtu

Total energy consumed during the performance year :
433,112.30 MMBtu

A brief description of on-site renewable electricity generating devices :

The University’s Cogeneration facility uses natural gas , with ultra-low sulfur fuel oil (ULSF) as a back-up fuel source, to fire three Solar Taurus 70 combustion turbine generators to produce electricity. Waste heat from the turbines is used to produce high pressure steam,which is then used in a steam turbine generator to produce additional electricity. The steam turbine exhaust or reduced steam is supplied to internal plant use, to provide Chilled Water via the three York absorption chillers or to the campus distribution network. The network reduces the steam to low pressure 65 psig for building heating and kitchen service. The core university obtains 100% of its electrical needs from this facility. Buildings not in the core campus (such as the Depot Campus) are connected to the CT Light and Power grid with a minimum of 25% of electricity purchased from renewable sources.
Working with the CT Center for Advanced Technologies (CCAT), UConn has developed a Renewable/Sustainable Energy Strategic Plan that will facilitate the installation of up to six different types of distributed generation on our campus, including solar (PVand thermal), wind, geothermal, biomass/biofuels and fuel cell technologies. Additionally, a 400kW natural gas powered proton exchange membrane fuel cell was installed in April 2012 on the Depot campus. This combined heat and power fuel cell systems deliver both electrical power and available thermal energy onsite to satisfy two building's energy needs - turning potential waste into useable energy and achieving system efficiencies that are well in excess of 2x the typical electric grid. This fuel cell is classified as a Class I Renewable Energy source by the State of Connecticut and it generates Class I Renewable Energy Credits (RECs).
The fuel cell supplies heat to 2 of the buildings on campus, but it supplies 100% of the energy to the Depot campus. It is currently linked to CL&P, which is a backup should the fuel cell work improperly. This problem should be fixed, however, once the plans to create a microgrid for Depot Campus are put in place. Depot Campus is the largest consumer of Storrs Campus' energy needs not covered by the cogeneration facility. Demand on the Depot Campus will eventually surpass the 400k production of the fuel cell, but this increase in demand will be quelled by improvements in energy storage and the addition of wind turbines on the roof tops of the Depot Campus. UConn is currently working with companies to develop prototypes of the wind turbines. The fuel cell is currently being used to educate the state and faculty about better management of energy at the municipal level (http://today.uconn.edu/blog/2012/04/uconn-commissions-fuel-cell-power-plant/).
This installation of a fuel cell is also paired with the installation of a hybrid photovoltaic power system (solar power). Designed by Dr. Peng Zhang, this power system is meant to meet the additional rising energy demand of the depot campus (http://news.engr.uconn.edu/exploring-solar-energy-at-uconn.php).


A brief description of on-site renewable non-electric energy devices:

The steam turbine exhaust or reduced steam is supplied to internal plant use, to provide Chilled Water via the three York absorption chillers or to the campus distribution network. The network reduces the steam to low pressure 65 psig for building heating and kitchen service.


A brief description of off-site, institution-catalyzed, renewable electricity generating devices:
---

A brief description of RECs or other similar renewable energy products purchased during the previous year, including contract timeframes:

UConn actually generates Class III RECs under the state Renewable Portfolio Standard law, based on the operation of its cogeneration facility. The REC income is then invested in retrocommissioning and retrofitting (energy efficiency) projects at the Storrs campus.


A brief description of cogeneration technologies deployed:

Note: UConn’s cogeneration facility is classified as a Class III Renewable Energy source by the State of Connecticut and it generates Class III Renewable Energy Credits (RECs).

A co-generation facility produces 100% of the main core campus's electricity needs, while the remainder (for CY 2011, 12%) is purchased from CL&P with a renewables agreement of 25% minimally produced from sources considered renewable.

***

The University’s Cogeneration facility uses natural gas, with ultra-low sulfur fuel oil (ULSF) as a back-up fuel source, to fire three Solar Taurus 70 combustion turbine generators to produce electricity. Waste heat from the turbines is used to produce high pressure steam, which is then used in a steam turbine generator to produce additional electricity. The steam turbine exhaust or reduced steam is supplied to internal plant use, to provide Chilled Water via the three York absorption chillers or to the campus distribution network. The network reduces the steam to low pressure 65 psig for building heating and kitchen service.

The core university obtains 100% of its electrical needs from this facility. Buildings not in the core campus (such as the Depot Campus) are connected to the CT Light and Power grid with a minimum of 25% of electricity purchased from renewable sources.

Working with the CT Center for Advanced Technologies (CCAT), UConn is in the midst of developing a Renewable/Sustainable Energy Strategic Plan that will facilitate the installation of up to six different types of distributed generation on our campus, including solar (PV and thermal), wind, geothermal, biomass/biofuels and fuel cell technologies.

Additionally, a 400 kW methane powered hydrogen fuel cell was installed in April, 2012 on the Depot campus. It is estimated that this fuel cell will supply roughly 80% of the electricity and heat energy needs for our Depot Campus, the largest consumer of Storrs Campus' energy needs not covered by the cogeneration facility.

http://today.uconn.edu/blog/2012/04/uconn-commissions-fuel-cell-power-plant/


The website URL where information about the institution's renewable energy sources is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

Figures came from energy dashboard maintained by Facilities and Operations for the 2011 calendar year.

This year we are legally obligated to purchase 14% of our electricity 15% of which comes from clean and renewable sources.


Figures came from energy dashboard maintained by Facilities and Operations for the 2011 calendar year.

This year we are legally obligated to purchase 14% of our electricity 15% of which comes from clean and renewable sources.

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.