Cornell University to Start CHPP, Eliminate Coal in 2011
Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., will start up its combined heat and power plant (CHPP) on Friday.
The new plant, which primarily uses natural gas, came online in December 2009. When fully operational, this project—in combination with the elimination of coal—will reduce the university’s carbon footprint by almost 30 percent. In addition to supplying the campus with electricity, the plant captures the heat generated by the turbines to produce steam for heating purposes.
The plant is part of the university's Climate Action Plan, which seeks to reduce Cornell’s effective greenhouse gas emissions from 319,000 metric tons (CO2 equivalent emissions) to net zero level by 2050 through “green” development, energy conservation, alternative energy sources, and carbon offsetting.