Smith College Office of Sustainability
During the fall semester of my junior year I was a research assistant for the Office of Sustainability. The college was in the process of writing their climate action plan, as part of their commitment to reduce their carbon footprint and waste by partnering with Clean Air-Cool Planet and signing the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment. I was asked to research biofuels for Smith’s new cogeneration (or combined heat and power (CHP)) plant, which uses a combustion turbine to produce electricity and steam.
Nearly all of Smith buildings are heated by medium-pressure steam produced by the central heating plant. The plant uses three boilers fueled with piped natural gas and by #6 oil delivered to underground storage tanks on site. It is currently fueled by natural gas, but it has the capability to burn #2 oil. However, the facility does not have the infrastructure to support liquid fuel delivery to the turbine. Natural gas burns with lower greenhouse gas emissions (as well as lower levels of NOx, and SO2) than #2 or #6 fuel oil.
The alternative fuel had several limitations, such as;
- Had to have comparable properties to the current fuel being used (heating value)
- Be readily available to meeting energy emands
- Be storable on site
- Did not require long distance transportation
- And, did not compete with food, land, or water sources
The results were written in the Smith College SCAMP Report. Please go to page 34, Section 7.3 Sources of Reduction,wrote Biofuels for Renewable Power and Fuels to read more.
Student Intern
