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Kent State University has been an effective leader in terms of energy-related savings and programs. Kent State University's (KSU) main campus is located in Kent, Ohio. The University has completed their new power plant on campus in 2001. The new power plant is not only an architectural achievement, but also houses the university's new central equipment. The new power plant has been operational since January 2001 and will "showcase" the steam, generating equipment, and chilled water equipment at this central location. Two natural gas boilers with output steam generating capacity of 100,000 lbs each and two chillers with 4000 tons of chilling capacity total have taken up residence in the plant. The addition of the centralized chilled water is new to the campus. Previously, they relied on decentralized chillers in individual buildings for their cooling needs.

In addition to the new power plant project, the University is undertaking another major construction project. Kent is currently designing a major residence hall complex. This complex has an additional central chilled water plant also operational. Kent utilizes a hybrid plant strategy, by installing both electric chillers with a thermal absorption chiller at this plant.

Combined Heat and Power Project:
KSU is currently underway evaluating the benefits of its first, two stage combined heat and power project. The first phase operational since January 2003, includes the installation of a Solar Taurus 60 dual fuel (natural gas/ fuel oil) turbine generator rated at 5.2 megawatts in their new power plant. Along with the installed turbine, a heat recovery boiler (capable of 27,000 pounds of steam per hour) has also been installed. Along with the waste heat from the turbine, supplementary heat has been added to facilitate additional capacity (up to 100,000 pounds per hour), as well as redundancy for steam production into the campus's main distribution system for building heating and cooling use.

Currently under design, the second phase includes installation of a second turbine, likely to be a Solar Taurus 70 or equal. Implementation of the second phase will result in the amount of electricity generated by the University to increase from 5.2 to almost 12.4 megawatts. This second generator will be a peaking unit and give the University the ability to run independent of our electric distribution company. The second phase will also include another heat recovery system without supplemental firing capable of producing almost 31,000 Lbs of steam an hour from turbine exhaust alone.

The University is very interested in this technology and the entire phased approach will be on line by October of 2004. Kent historically has been a 14 MW peaking campus. Kent's normal electrical demand is in the 10-11 MW range. What makes the Kent campus an excellent candidate for a combined heat and power is not only our need for power but, the fact that Kent has a year round substantial steam demand. With the first turbine, Kent is producing almost 27,000 pounds per hour in steam. When the second phase is complete Kent's total steam production will approach 60,000 pounds per hour or 60 percent of Kent's current need for steam in the winter months and 75 percent of our summer requirement from waste heat.

Kent currently has several steam absorption chillers located in their campus buildings. They fuel these units with steam from their central steam plant. They are continuing to increase their summer steam demand by installing the fore-mentioned hybrid chiller plant.