Central Heating Plant: Biomass Plant and Natural Gas Boilers
Middlebury College declared carbon neutrality in 2016 and the construction of the biomass plant in 2009 played a huge role in that achievement. Middlebury uses locally sourced wood chips, which are superheated in a low oxygen chamber where they smolder (not burn) and emit wood gas. Oxygen is introduced on the backside of the boiler causing the gas to ignite, producing heat (at temperatures over 1100° F) to make steam that is distributed throughout campus for heating, cooling, hot water, and cooking. Because trees are growing back faster than they are being harvested in Vermont, this is a carbon neutral fuel source. Our plant is what is called a cogeneration plant, meaning that steam is run through turbines on its way out of the plant to create electricity that is then used on campus. Natural Gas Boilers: For any heating, cooling, hot water and cooking needs that the biomass plant cannot fulfill, we use natural gas boilers to create steam. Currently, that natural gas comes from Canada through the Vermont natural gas pipeline. However, through the Energy2028 commitment, the College is in contract with a local dairy farm to produce renewable natural gas from a mixture of cow manure and food waste that will fully replace the Canadian gas and is also carbon neutral.