University of Connecticut
SD-10: Energy Use by Type

UConn generates most of its electricity for the main campus through a natural gas-fired highly efficient 25 MW cogen facility, which came on-line in 2006. In CT the cogen qualifies as a class 3 renewable resource based on its natural gas fuel and efficiency as an on-site source of combined heat and power. Earlier this year, UConn activated a new 400 kW hydrogen fuel cell for the portion of the main campus referred to as the Depot Campus, taking most of the Depot off-grid. For the remaining electricty needs at the main campus (20%) UConn is under a long-term contract that specifies at least 25% renewable energy sources to be delivered by CL&P. We divided this equally among solar, wind and hydro for 2% each. 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. As UConn’s cogeneration facility is classified as a Class III Renewable Energy source by the State of Connecticut, it generates Class III Renewable Energy Credits (RECs). Working with the CT Center for Advanced Technologies (CCAT) and pursuant to our Climate Action Plan, UConn recently 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 (PV and thermal), wind, geothermal, biomass/biofuels and fuel cell technologies. http://today.uconn.edu/blog/2012/04/uconn-commissions-fuel-cell-power-plant/