A PROPOSED HYBRID GEOTHERMAL - NATURAL GAS - BIOMASS ENERGY SYSTEM FOR CORNELL UNIVERSITY. TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT OF RETROFITTING A LOW - TEMPERATURE GEOTHERMAL DISTRICT HEATING SYSTEM AND HEAT CASCADING SOLUTIONS.

Abstract

Cornell‟s 2009 Climate Action Plan provides a roadmap for the Cornell University to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. A geothermal-biomass hybrid renewable energy system has been proposed as a component of Cornell‟s transformational energy plan to economically reduce its fossil fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. This paper provides an in-depth technical and economic analysis of supplementing the existing natural gas-fired combined cycle heat and power (CHP) plant with an Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) and a torrefied biomass boiler. Cornell University‟s buildings and facilities provide a representative model distributed energy system for mid-sized communities of about 30,000