Geothermal Energy

We Want to Sustain This: A Livable Planet

A Presentation by the Environmental Science 102 Class

Presenters: Colin Evans, Mark Gardner, Claire Petersen, Sharon Vitello

Current Heating System

• The Boilers

(The Broken One)

The Other Boiler

The Back-up Boiler

($9000/month since December)

Amount of Fuel (2008-2009)

• Number 6 Fuel Oil: 244,000 gallons/year

• Number 2 Fuel Oil: 32,250 gallons/year

• Propane: 15,200 gallons/year

Costs ($)

• #6 F.O. at $1.24 gallon ≈ $302,560/year

• #2 F.O. at $1.95 gallon ≈ $62,900/year

• Propane at $2.68 gallon ≈ $40,800/year

Cost, cont.

• Total ≈ $406,000 a year

• Over the next ten years (without inflation) ≈ $4,060,000

Costs (non-monetary)

• Heating oil emits 22 pounds of CO2 per gallon– 276,250 gal X 22 lbs (earth lab) ≈ 6.2

million pounds of CO2/year

• Propane emits 13 pounds of CO2 per gallon= 1.9 million pounds of CO2/year

• To Offset? – We would need 623,076 trees to offset

that much carbon dioxide (treefolks.org)

Alternative: The Possibility of Geothermal Energy

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Basic Concepts

• Like a cave- cool in summer, warm in winter.• Geothermal pump systems couple the building’s

HVAC system to the earth

• Geothermal heat pump systems eliminate the need for boilers, cooling towers, and oil

• The ground provides a nearly constant temperature source (50 degrees F) for efficient heating and can also serve as a sink for cooling

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The System

• Works best in buildings with similar energy loads: heating demand close to cooling

• Flexible- Can heat or cool multiple areas simultaneously

• Offices, schools and dorms particularly wells suited– High occupancy,

fluctuating usage schedules and varying needs

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The System

Summer- Warm water is pumpedinto the earth, cooled, and then returned.

Winter- Cold water is pumped into theearth, warmed, then sent back.

The Science• Acts like a big refrigerator

– Evaporator- condenser– Refrigerant is compressed

becomes hotter.– Much more efficient.– 30% cost savings over

natural gas– 50-60% cost savings

over oil– Uses electricity– NYSEG electricity produces a 49%

reduction in CO2 emissions when coming from the grid

– Possible to run system off of on-site renewables, wind or solar-geothermal

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How this can benefit Wells College

• Low Operating Costs• 30-70% reduction

in energy cost• No On-site

Combustion• Simplicity• Low Maintenance• Pumps and filters• Polyethylene

tubing

• Reduced Emissions

• Apx. 3-7 year pay back

• Durable system– 25-50 year

warranty

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Grant Opportunities

NYSERDA

• New York State Energy Research and Development Authority

• RPS- Renewable Portfolio Standard- 25% by 2013 from 19.3% (2004 levels)– Grants and incentives offered to offset

costs

NYSERDA Grants• 1. Green and Energy-Efficient Building

Products and Systems (PON 1266)– Up to $300,000

• 2. Clean Energy Business Growth & Development (PON 1260)– Up to $200,000

• 3. **New Construction Program (PON 1222)**– Amount not specified

• 4. Existing Facilities Program (PON 1219)– Larger project incentives not specified

• 5. **Technical Assistance Program**– Up to $500,000 in aid for a 5-year study

Other Grant Opportunities

• Department of Energy• New York Power Authority (NYPA)• EPA, NCEI, & OPEI

– $750,000

NYSERDA Success Stories• New Construction Program

– New Construction Program Success Stories– Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY

• 9 building dorm complex• $235,000 from NYSERDA• Pay-back time of 2.8 years• 171 tons of emissions reduced annually

– Frito Lay, Henrietta, NY• $185,000 for energy efficiency & get LEED certification• Energy cost budget 50%

– North Syracuse School District• $185,000 for improvements at Middle School & 2

Elementary Schools • $154,000 retrofit 98 buses

NYSERDA Success Stories• Technical Assistance Program

– Success Stories– Protective Industries. Inc, (Buffalo, NY)

• 1: New cooling tower on production floor– Cost: $227,00, Incentive: $85,000

• 2: Replace existing HVAC systems– Cost: $177,000, Incentive: $88,000

• 3: New design for molding machines– Incentive: $250,000

Annual Savings: $179,000Total Incentive: $423,000

D.O.E. Success Stories

• Lipscomb University, Nashville, TN– 77,000-square-foot Ezell Center

academic building. – closed-loop system- 144 wells, 300 feet

deep– heat and cool– Total Cost: $950,000– Grant Received from D.O.E.: $500,000

(http://www.nwf.org/campusEcology/climateedu/articleView.cfm?iArticleID=37)

Other institutions are doing it too!

• Richard Stockton College, Pomona, N.J.– 440,000 sq.ft. of classrooms, offices, labs– Cost: $4.1 million, “most of which was covered

by utility rebates and state grants”– $400,000 annual fuel and maintenance savings– 25% reduction in electricity– 70% reduction in natural gas– return on investment: 4.6 to 7.5 years– 17% reduction in campus greenhouse gas

emissions (http://www.nwf.org/campusEcology/climateedu/articleView.cfm?iArticleID=37)

Other institutions are doing it too!

• Hamilton College, Clinton, N.Y.– 21,000 sq.ft. dormitory– Cost: $80,000– N.Y.S. Grant: $48,000– $11,000 annual savings– 3 year return on investment

(http://www.nwf.org/campusEcology/climateedu/articleView.cfm?iArticleID=37)

Earth Sensitive Solutions:John Manning

– Cayuga Community College

– Bard College– Empire State

College– Adirondack

Community College– Amherst College– Ithaca College– Dutchess

Community College– Willink Middle

School in Webster – Adelphi University

– LeMoyne College– Hamilton College– Cayuga Onondaga

BOCES– Broome Tioga

BOCES– Wayne Fingerlakes

BOCES– Newark Valley

Central Schools– Millbrook School– Auburn City Hall– Auburn Police & Fire

Stations

Cost Estimates for Wells• Most Buildings in Need of

Retrofitting: $20-25/sq.ft.– $20/sq.ft., all of campus: $10 million

• VERY rough estimate, need an evaluation of campus

• Grants not included yet• May not have to switch all buildings

to geothermal right away

Comparison• payback time: variable• CO2 emissions: 3.6 million

pounds/year– (possible to generate

electricity with on-site renewables

• Grant Opportunities: $300,000+

• Fuel Cost: electricity• Cooling in all buildings• Warranty: 50 years• Flexibility!

– Can fluctuate with demand• Renewable• Initial Cost: estimate of

$20/sq. foot= $11.3 million• Also heats hot water• Waste heat is captured

• payback time: never

• CO2 emissions: 8.1 million pounds/year

• Grant Opportunities: None

• Fuel Cost: $400,000+/year

• No cooling

• Warranty: 35 years

• Inflexible

• Cannot fluctuate

• Non-renewable

• Initial Cost: “well into the seven-figure range”

• Waste heat is wasted

Geothermal Oil Burner

Conclusion

• Sustainability–Free Energy–Inexhaustible–Possibility to be carbon-free

–Cost-efficient–Clean

To Sum it Up

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• In 1993, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency declared that geothermal heat pumps were "the most energy-efficient, environmentally clean, and cost-effective space conditioning systems available." The systems are generally 48 percent more efficient than gas-fired heating systems and 75 percent more efficient than oil-fired systems.