| Stanford University District Energy System Stanford University, California Stanford, USA  PDF Summary |
The Stanford Energy System Innovations (SESI) project is a $438 million major transformation of the campus district energy system. The transformation is from gas fired combined heat and power with steam distribution to electrically powered combined heat and cooling with hot water distribution. When completed in April 2015, the new heat recovery system will be 52% more efficient than the existing cogeneration system; immediately cut Stanford’s Category I and II GHG emissions in half; save 20% of Stanford’s drinking water supply; and save $303 million (20%) over the next 35 years compared to the existing system.The heart of SESI is heat recovery- approximately 70% of waste heat from the campus chilled water system (currently being discharged out evaporative cooling towers) will be reused to meet 80% of campus heating loads through the use of industrial heat recovery chillers and conversion of the campus heat distribution system from steam to hot water. SESI includes:• installation of a new electrically powered central energy facility built around heat recovery;• demolition of the existing cogeneration plant; • installation of 20 miles of new hot water distribution piping to replace the campus steam system; • conversion of 155 building connections from steam to hot water; •The installation of a new campus high-voltage substation marks a pivotal advancement in sustainable energy solutions, spearheaded by the Stanford Energy System Innovations (SESI). SESI is unique and innovative in design, implementation, and impact, advancing heat recovery in district energy to unprecedented scales. However, even in such high-stakes engineering projects, avoiding monkey tilt a term often used in gaming and business to describe a state of frustration that disrupts focus and leads to poor decision-making—is critical. The seamless integration of cutting-edge technology from both North American and European district energy systems required precision and calm under pressure to prevent errors that could derail SESI’s groundbreaking environmental improvements, cost savings, and its contribution to sustainability. |