Investing in the Earth's future
Energy consumption is rapidly becoming one of the most pressing concerns for the planet. Businesses and consumers alike struggle to meet rising energy costs, and the heat trapping gasses that are emitted through energy consumption are causing atmospheric changes which affect all forms of life on the Earth.
|
| Tracey Krueger is one of the eight technicians who operate
and maintain the four boilers in the district energy plant. |
Desiring to address this vital issue, the FSPA have been looking in their own backyard in recent years. By recovering the steam from their boiler plant that was primarily used to heat and cool, they now recycle energy that would otherwise have been lost. Since November 2003, the FSPA have been generating as much as 40 percent of the electricity used at the St. Rose complex in La Crosse through this recovery process called combined heat and power (CHP).
Remarkably, a judicious decision made over 100 years ago set the stage to address
21st century concerns about energy sustainability. The decision in 1902 by Mother
Ludovica Keller and her council to build a central heating plant for the St.
Rose complex and St. Francis Hospital was documented in the St. Rose Diary (see
illustration). Although their reasons for making this choice are not a part
of the diary entry, the vantage point provided by 102 years now reveals distinct
benefits.
District energy system developed
|
When steam, hot water or chilled water are produced in a central location and then distributed to nearby buildings the process is referred to as a district energy system. The distributed energy can be used for a variety of purposes, including space cooling or heating and hot water heating. The FSPA steam plant is now the primary source of heat for most buildings on the La Crosse Franciscan campuses including the St. Rose complex, Franciscan Skemp Healthcare and Viterbo University. Today the plant heats a total of 1,318,000 square feet.
There are numerous financial and ecological benefits to district energy systems. Capital costs are consolidated because each building does not require an individual heating system. Employees who operate the central steam plant focus their training and expertise on boiler operation and energy distribution. This contrasts with facilities that do not use district energy, where maintenance staff manages everything from grounds keeping to running the boilers. Purchasing fuel in bulk quantities for a larger district energy system also offers lower costs.
The environment is another winner with a district system since fuel is used more efficiently and sophisticated monitoring systems track equipment effectiveness. Less efficient equipment creates more hazardous emissions.
Building on the past
When FSPA members gathered at their general assembly in 2001, environmental sustainability was established as a high priority. The FSPA direction statement identifies the desire to “promote sustainability of Mother Earth.” Additionally, the assembly passed a proposal to evaluate every FSPA property with the goal to develop alternative energy sources.
 |
 |
| Julie Tydrich, FSPA, top, and Kevin O'Neil |
Working at the directives of the FSPA leadership team Sister Julie Tydrich, congregational treasurer, and Kevin O’Neil, director of FSPA facilities services, began an energy audit by looking at the largest properties first. The district energy system was reconsidered in light of this new thrust. O’Neil recommended that the congregation consider generating electricity from the steam that was already being produced in the district plant, as a way to optimize the use of fuel. This dual process, combined heat and power (CHP), has been used for decades, primarily in industrial settings such as large factories but also has application for other institutions.
District heating is a prerequisite for combined heat and power. The steam created to provide heat is also the source for generating electricity (see CHP sidebar). Essentially, energy is recovered and put to use a second time. The foresight of early FSPA leaders thus provided a foundation for meeting the goals of the congregation a century later.
Choosing Combined Heat and Power
Producing electricity through CHP at the local level is three times more efficient than the power created by an electric utility. This efficiency means less pollution and fewer emissions are released into the environment. Translated to consumer terms, the impact of the FSPA project is the equivalent of providing power to 63 American households, or taking 156 cars off the road, or planting 196 acres of trees annually.
|
The distribution of electricity is regulated, thus, the FSPA district energy plant can only provide electricity to FSPA buildings. Although the plant provides steam to Franciscan Skemp and Viterbo University, it is prohibited from distributing electricity to them. This prohibition limits the potential scale of energy production.
Even though the scale of this CHP project is considered small by industry standards, the FSPA decided to move forward. Moving to CHP took several years and required collaboration between the three Franciscan institutions. As the hospital and university planned their new buildings, they accommodated new steam pipes. The FSPA installed two new steam turbine generators to create the electricity.
By producing a portion of their electricity, the FSPA now save $55,000 annually in utility costs. This savings will offset the $440,000 cost of the generators in eight years (simple payback). O’Neil notes, “This system is a win for the FSPA and a win for the ecosystem. It saves on the utility bills and gives FSPA back-up protection during area power outages as well as reducing fuel consumption and harmful air emissions.”
Reflecting on the congregation’s desire to promote sustainability, Sister Julie explains the decision was not just about reducing utility costs. “The capital investment was well worth the lost interest income. We see this investment as an opportunity to model environmental sustainability in the corporate world.”
