Oregon State University Combined Heat and Power Plant Vital Statistics Offsets: 338,790 metric tons carbon dioxide
Equivalent to taking 67,488 cars off the road for a year Project Type: Cogeneration Project Lifetime: 20 years Contract Signing Date: 2007 Location: Corvallis, Oregon Project Partners: Oregon State University
Project Description
The
Climate Trust has contracted to buy offsets from a cogeneration project being implemented by Oregon State University at its campus in Corvallis, Oregon.
The Project involves installing a combined heat and power (CHP) plant to provide steam and electricity for the campus. The installation of a 5.5-megawatt combustion turbine generator fired by natural gas, a heat recovery steam generator, and two auxiliary boilers will generate electricity that will meet approximately 50 percent of the electrical load at the University, thereby limiting the use of grid-generated electricity.
Offset funding will be provided in two disbursements, the second of which will be delivered to OSU upon delivery of proof of commercial operation of the power facility. OSU guarantees that the project will provide at least 338,790 metric tons of offsets over a 20-year project life.
How
the project reduces CO2
The
project will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by allowing OSU to produce approximately 50 percent of its electricity requirements using modern fuel-efficient cogeneration technology, thereby avoiding the use of grid-based electricity, which is generated at a higher carbon dioxide emissions rate than the natural gas-fired CHP plant.
Non-GHG Benefits
The
project not only will save money on operating costs and grid-generated electricity, but will also serve as a model of environmentally friendly practices in power generation. OSU will pursue a rating of the facility through the U.S. Green Building Council’s prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program to draw further attention to its benefits.
Additionality Criteria: Why We’re Involved
The Climate Trust used a financial barriers test to assess the additionality of the project, i.e. to assess whether offset funding from The Climate Trust was essential for project implementation. This analysis identified that OSU needed financial support from several outside agencies to proceed with the installation of the CHP plant. Funding from The Climate Trust was matched one for one with bonds from the State of Oregon, generating significant revenue for the project. The offset funding was the key to kick start fundraising efforts for the full $39 million project costs. The Climate Trust funding allowed OSU to overcome these financial barriers, and therefore will allow the installation of a complete CHP complex with its multiple long-term benefits including onsite generation of 50% of the University’s electrical demand, a reduction in distribution and transmission losses, and improvement in HVAC equipment efficiency that far exceed the benefits of simply upgrading the existing boilers.
Partners
