ENER-G appointed to deliver $6.3 million energy services contract for US College

Saint Peter’s College, New Jersey, USA, has appointed sustainable energy group ENER-G to deliver a major energy services contract for its West Campus in Jersey City.

 ENER-G  is funding the $6.3 million capital program and there is no upfront cost to the college. The cost is partially offset by two substantial grants from the New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program and Federal Tax Credits awarded to solar power and combined heat and power (CHP) projects, all of which total $1.86 million.

 ENER-G is installing clean technology that will reduce the college’s carbon emissions by 2,886 metric tonnes per year. This will equate to the carbon saving benefits of a 615 acre pine forest.

 This is the first of a number of carbon abatement investment projects in the United States for ENER-G Group Inc, which is the new US based subsidiary of ENER-G plc, a UK business that designs, develops, operates and finances energy efficient and renewable solutions on a business-to-business basis globally.

 The project includes the installation of a 200kW solar photovoltaic system across a number of campus buildings, together with a trigeneration plant to supply low carbon heat, electricity and cooling for academic buildings on the West Campus. Work has also commenced in the recreation centre, including new energy efficient lighting

 The College will generate its own 2,454 MWh secure supply of electricity from two natural gas driven 160 kW ENER-G trigeneration units – achieving more than twice the efficiency of conventional power generation. Together with the solar arrays this will dramatically reduce Saint Peter’s dependence on grid generated electricity.

 This highly efficient combined cooling, heat and power (CCHP) system, working in conjunction with a new absorption chiller, will   also supply 13,110 MMBtu of heat – generating hot water for winter heating, and chilled water for use in the air conditioning systems during the warmer summer months.

 A strategic upgrade of the heating ventilation and air conditioning infrastructure, including new boilers and variable speed pumps, will also be implemented, together with the installation of a new building energy management system to achieve optimum comfort and overall energy performance.  An advanced  DuCool air conditioning system will be installed in the recreation centre, using waste heat together with  liquid desiccant technology to de-humidify, cleanse and cool the facility.

ENER-G is partnering with a number of local contractors and consultants on the nine month program, which is scheduled for completion in summer 2012.

 “We are delighted to open our new ENER-G Inc business in the USA and to partner with Saint Peter’s College and local engineering businesses and suppliers to deliver this complex energy services contract,” said Chris Hayton, business development director for ENER-G Group Inc. “We will be creating more jobs in the USA as we continue to grow, and fund and deliver low and zero carbon projects across the Eastern Seaboard.”

 Eugene J. Cornacchia, Ph.D., president of Saint Peter’s College, said: “This partnership and green initiative comes at a strategic time for the College as we begin construction on our new LEED-Silver ‘green’ student centre and following our recently implemented Climate Action Plan. Each green initiative on our campus diverts resources from unsustainable projects to renewable, cost effective ones. Beyond the savings and the environmental benefits, these initiatives also create learning opportunities for the students.”

  This latest initiative expands upon the College’s commitment to sustainable energy. Previous green projects on the campus include the implementation of 100 percent renewable energy as the sole source of purchased electricity.

 The idea for a holistic energy conservation project for the West Campus was first conceived by Strategic Development Group, the firm that partners with Saint Peter’s College on all of its major real estate development projects.. Anthony Bastardi, Strategic’s CEO and special advisor to Dr. Cornacchia, led the multi-firm design team that engineered the project