Combined Heat and Power
ESF’s CHP (Combined Heat and Power) plant is located on the lower level of the LEED Platinum certified Gateway Center.
The plant provides heat and electricity to the Gateway Center and several adjacent buildings. It can provide 55 - 60% of campus heating needs and 10 - 15% of campus electrical needs, while reducing the campuswide carbon footprint by 22%!
The main sources of energy generation are:
- 9.6 MMBtu biomass boiler
- 9.6 MMBtu natural gas boiler
- 2.96 MMBtu natural gas boiler
- 3 - C65 capstone micro-turbines
- Heat recovery steam generator (HRSG)
SUNY ESF’s mission “to educate future environmental leaders of all backgrounds, advance knowledge and skills necessary to promote scholarship and stewardship of the natural to designed environments” is enhanced by the integration of the CHP plant into various aspects of the curriculum.
Interested in taking a tour of the CHP plant?
Contact the Office of Sustainability
Real-World Energy Savings
This emphasis on experimental field learning and the significance of having this teaching tool on site are contributors to ESF’s continually high sustainability ranking. This unique on-campus feature shows a real-world example of energy savings associated with a combined heat and power system compared to traditional technologies.