INSTITUTIONAL COMBINED HEAT & POWER

Institutional CHP.pdf (pdf)

BERC’s Institutional Combined Heat and Power Initiative is a suite of programs and technologies designed to help institutions assess and install sucessful biomass energy systems in institutional settings.

The primary focus is in two application areas:

• public schools
• college campuses

— using two biomass energy technology types:

• woodchip-fired boilers for heating
• advanced systems for combined heat and power (CHP)

VERMONT FUELS FOR SCHOOLS

This public school program is based on more than 20 years of success with woodchip heating systems in Vermont. It is a flexible vehicle that can be adapted to the particular needs of individual states, regions, or forest resources. Among other issues, the program addresses wood fuel supply, system design, implementation rates, and financing.

BERC’s goal is to broaden the array of efficient, cleanburning, wood-heat technology available to both schools and campus settings.

CAMPUS WOOD ENERGY PROGRAM

BERC assists colleges, universities, and other institutions with campus district heating systems in exploring and, if suitable, implementing wood heating technology in central plant applications.

The program helps institutions understand biomass energy and technical and policy issues related to:

• climate change
• sustainability
• forest protection
• economic development

BERC provides information on biomass energy technology types and on different configurations of district heat central plant equipment and distribution design options using hot water or steam.

TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANCE

BERC assists its institutional partners with up-to-date information on fully commercialized technology and new technology that promises increased efficiency and cleaner emission. Conventional biomass combustion technology is available at both school and central plant scales and is the best immediate answer for providing wood heat to institutions.