Oakland University and
Chevron Energy Solutions are partnering on the construction and operation of a clean, cost-saving energy source for electricity and hot water.
The Combined Heat & Power, or CHP, is an emerging and growing way to provide energy to large facilities. A natural gas turbine provides the energy rather than traditional electricity.
The university will lease and operate the system, and Chevron Energy Solutions, a division of Chevron Oil & Gas, will build the system at the campus' central heating plant.
Overall, says Siraj Khan, the director of engineering for OU Facilities Management, the new system will save money on energy costs, reduce OU's carbon footprint and also become a teaching tool for students.
"CHP is a proven technology, and is becoming more and more popular in the wake of sustainability culture on higher education campuses all around United States to reduce carbon footprint and to produce clean energy," Khan says. "The operation of the CHP, real-time energy monitoring, data for energy savings and reduction of emissions will be a learning tool for students and a valuable educational experience."
Source: Siraj Khan, director of engineering for OU Facilities Management
Writer: Kim North Shine
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