by Shane Henson — February 25, 2013—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized five facilities with the Energy Star Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Award for their efforts to reduce emissions that threaten public health while increasing energy reliability and efficiency.
CHP, also known as cogeneration, simultaneously produces electricity and useful heat from a single energy source (e.g. natural gas). CHP ensures the award-winning hospitals and universities can continue to operate in the event of a power outage, says the EPA. The winning facilities were:
- Medical Area Total Energy Plant (MATEP) LP for its 46 megawatt (MW) CHP system, which produces electricity, steam and chilled water for the Longwood Medical and Academic Area, home to five hospitals, numerous biomedical and pharmaceutical research centers, and Harvard Medical School-affiliated teaching institutions.
- Montefiore Medical Center for its 11 MW CHP system, which supplies electricity and steam to the center. During Hurricanes Irene and Sandy, the Medical Center continued to operate and accept patients from other hospitals that were forced to close.
- NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center for its 7.5 MW CHP system, which produces electricity and steam for the hospital’s operations. The hospital is believed to have been the first in New York City capable of operating independently from the grid in the event of a power outage.
- New York University (NYU) for its 12.8 MW CHP system, which produces steam and electricity for its campus in lower Manhattan. The system provided uninterrupted electricity, heating, and cooling to the campus during Hurricane Sandy.
- Texas A&M University for its 45 MW CHP system, which produces electricity, space cooling, space heating, and hot water for its campus in College Station, Texas. The CHP system enabled Texas A&M’s facilities to provide emergency housing for people endangered or displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
