News Release

Coal-free in 2011: Cornell opens its Combined Heat and Power Plant

Business Announcement

Cornell University

ITHACA, N.Y. – Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign director Bruce Nilles will join Cornell President David Skorton at a Jan. 15, 2010 event to celebrate a significant step forward in Cornell's Climate Action Plan: The start-up of the Combined Heat and Power Plant (CHPP) and the elimination of coal as an energy source by mid-2011.

The new plant, which primarily uses natural gas, came online in December 2009. When fully operational, this project—in combination with the elimination of coal—will reduce the university's carbon footprint by almost 30 percent. In addition to supplying the campus with electricity, the plant captures the heat generated by the turbines to produce steam for heating purposes.

Cornell's Climate Action Plan seeks to reduce Cornell's effective greenhouse gas emissions from 319,000 metric tons (CO2 equivalent emissions) to net zero level by 2050 through "green" development, energy conservation, alternative energy sources, and carbon offsetting.

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WHAT:

Event marking the start-up of Cornell's Combined Heat and Power Plant (CHPP) and the elimination of coal as a campus energy source by mid-2011

WHEN:

Friday, Jan. 15, 2010, 10:30 a.m.

WHERE:

Atrium of Duffield Hall, Cornell campus, Ithaca, N.Y.

NOTE:

Members of the media are invited to cover the event. Please contact Claudia Wheatley at (607) 255-9451 or (607) 216-7724 (email caw43@cornell.edu) for more information.


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