University of Cincinnati
IN-26: Innovation C

UC was faced with the challenge of how to meet student, staff, and faculty demands to move beyond coal. The challenge was the UC had 2 coal boilers that supplied low cost, reliable steam to its campus. Instead of replacing the coal boilers with natural gas boilers which would consume more fossil fuel or installing emission reduction equipment on the boilers, UC decided to invest in energy conservation and renewable energy. UC reduced its demand for steam by installing new controls and new HVAC equipment in its largest laboratories to reduce the amount of outside air the buildings need which in turn reduced the amount of steam needed to heat the outside air. These energy conservation measures eliminated the need for one of UC’s two coal boilers. In its newer coal boiler, UC installed new burners that allow the boiler to burn additional fuel. UC worked with private industry, students, and Researchers in their College of Engineering on the creation of low cost waste paper pellets. Ultimately the paper pellets presented challenges that were not feasible to overcome, but the retrofitted boiler is capable of burning renewable wood pellets which is now the fuel for this other former coal boiler.