Conference Wrapup: “Innovations in clean energy”
IDEA celebrates 25 years of campus energy conferences with new planning
tools and military-civilian district energy/CHP collaboration
IDEA’s 25th Annual Campus Energy Conference brought together 651 attendees from leading colleges and universities, federal and state
agencies, the military, and leading
manufacturers and service providers
from throughout the U.S. and beyond.
The conference, with the theme of
“Innovations in Clean Energy,” was held
Feb. 5-9, 2012, in Arlington, Va., at the
Crystal Gateway Marriott. Throughout
the gathering, meeting rooms, ballrooms, and the trade show exhibition
were filled to capacity. Our conference
host, the University of Maryland,
capped off the event with a guided
technical tour of the newly upgraded
district cooling system on its College
Park campus.
Delegates shared overviews and
details of innovative, highly efficient,
clean district energy technologies that
are deployed on college and university
campuses as well as on contiguous
United States (CONUS) military bases.
Discussions of the formal program – a
packed agenda of panels, 85 technical
presentations and workshops – were
continued at the luncheons, in the
hallways and in the trade show exhibit
hall featuring 85 leading companies.
Proceedings are posted on the IDEA
website, www.districtenergy.org.
Opening Plenary Panel
The opening plenary panel discussion, moderated by IDEA President and
Chief Executive Officer Rob Thornton,
addressed investment in the technology,
integration and optimization of clean
energy systems in our nation’s college
and university campus sector and on
military bases.
In the first discussion, focusing
on energy security and grid reliability,
panelists confirmed the value of their
electric microgrids enabled by combined
heat and power systems during extreme
conditions. Following are highlights:
• Steve Swinson of Thermal Energy
Corp. (TECO) said that despite the
severe drought in Texas during sum-
mer 2011, which drove electricity
prices to record levels, TECO was
able to provide electricity and cool-
ing to its customers at the Texas
Medical Center at normal rates as a
result of its 48 MW CHP and district
energy system. “Because of the heat
and the drought, the Texas electrical
grid was extremely stressed,” he
said. “Having CHP allowed us to
remain reliable.”
The;opening;plenary;panel;discussed;“Innovations;in;Clean;Energy:;District;Energy/CHP;for;Sustainable;Campuses,;Bases;and;Communities.”;Participants
included;(left;to;right);Steve;Swinson,;Thermal;Energy;Corp.;;Jim;Riley,;Texas;A&M;;Tom;Nyquist,;Princeton;University;;Kathleen;Hogan,;U.S.;Department;of
Energy;Office;of;Energy;Efficiency;and;Renewable;Energy;;Tom;Hicks,;U.S.;Navy;;Sarah;Dunham,;U.S.;Environmental;Protection;Agency;;Raymond;DuBose,
University;of;North;Carolina;at;Chapel;Hill;;Hon.;Stephen;Ayers,;Architect;of;the;Capitol;;James;Adams,;Cornell;University.
