EPA honors MU power plant for energy efficiency
The MU power plant has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a 2010 EPA Energy Star Combined Heat and Power award recipient, one of three universities in the nation to receive the award.
Power plants at the University of California in San Diego and Fairfield University were also recognized.
“MU is very proud of Energy Management’s track record of improving campus energy efficiency while reducing energy costs and lowering emissions,” Campus Facilities Assistant Vice Chancellor Gary Ward said in a news release.
The plant operates at more than 70 percent efficiency. Conventional fossil-fueled plants only operate at approximately 30 percent efficiency.
“We applaud the University of Missouri’s effort because the improvement in efficiency translates to a reduction in total fossil fuel use, reduced emissions of air pollutants and carbon dioxide, the leading greenhouse gas contributor to global climate change,” Susan Wickwire, EPA chief of the energy supply and industry branch said.
According to the news release, MU has been producing electricity by combined heat and power since 1892. This system helps MU reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 107,000 tons per year.
“Combined heat and power is an efficient, clean and reliable approach to generating power and thermal energy from a single fuel source,” Wickwire said. “CHP plays an important role in reducing the environmental impact of power generation.”
Workers at the MU power plant work alongside researchers in an effort to discover alternative fuels and more efficient methods to heat, cool and power the university.
Other awards the power plant has won include the 2008 Energy Efficiency award from the National Wildlife Federation, the 2004 International District Energy Association’s System of the Year award and the 2001 Energy Star Partner of the Year award.
“We are looking forward to adding a new biomass boiler to our CHP system in 2012 to build on the success we have already achieved,” Ward said.
With one of MU’s coal-powered burners approaching the end of its service life, it opened a window of opportunity for MU to reach another milestone in reducing its carbon footprint in 2012.
The new burner, which will be designed by Babcock and Wilcox Power Generation Group, comes with a $62 million price tag. The selling of bonds will fund the project.
“Other colleges and universities are likely to take notice of the University of Missouri’s decision to convert its physical plant to utilize a renewable, environmentally friendly fuel, and we are confident B&W PGG has the technology to meet their needs,” Babcock and Wilcox Power Generation Group President Richard Killion said in a news release.
Unlike older burners, the new burner will only use natural waste material such as corncobs, switch grass and waste woods brought in from mid-Missouri.
“An ice storm downed trees in Ashland, Mo.,” Campus Facilities spokeswoman Karlan Seville said. “The lost trees were chipped up and brought to campus. The plant also received wood from a supplier near Lake of the Ozarks.”
-Jon Parker
