Nov 29 2010
A $32.4 Geothermal heating plant is to be installed at the University of Missouri’s campus. The university’s Board of Curators has given approval for the project and for the issue of 30 year bonds for financing the project.
This project would utilize ground source heat pump technology. The anticipated time of construction is five years and a savings of $1.4 million per year in both operational costs and energy is expected to be gained. This figure is predicted to increase to $2.8 million in the future.
The geothermal heating system would be a replacement for the existing 65 year old power unit on the Missouri University of Science and Technology campus wherein one coal and woodchip boiler along with two coal fired boilers had been utilized for the production of steam. The boilers were operating from 1981, 1958 and 1963.
According to the University officials, the switchover to geothermal heat would reduce the emission rate and the expenses. Almost 25,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions would be reduced per year.
When the geothermal plant begins operations, the coal and biomass plant would be dismantled. The University officials disclosed that the carbon footprint would be cut by 60% inside the campus after the initiative. Earlier this year an in-depth study was done in the campus where it was found that the existing steam infrastructure could be substituted by a ground source cooling and heating unit that would utilize a piping loop system for transferring heat upwards in the winter season from under the ground and absorbing heat in the summer season.