In an era where sustainability drives business success, investing in green energy projects isn’t just an environmental choice—it’s a strategic business decision that can positively impact your bottom line. Here are some innovative examples from Yale’s sustainability initiatives that highlight how green energy investments are shaping the future of energy consumption:
Central Power Plant
Location: 120 Tower Pkwy, New Haven, CT 06511
Description: The Central Power Plant supplies electricity, steam heat, and chilled water to buildings across Yale’s main campus, including the Science Hill area.
Did you know? The Central Power Plant is a co-generation facility primarily powered by natural gas. It captures and reuses the heat lost during electricity generation to provide additional energy. The facility includes three 1.5-megawatt peaking and emergency diesel generators and two 7.9-megawatt combustion turbines installed in 2016.
Benefit: Efficiently reusing heat and generating power helps in managing energy needs across the campus.
Get Involved: Check out our energy saving tips to learn how you can contribute to energy conservation.
Sterling Power Plant
Location: 309 Congress Ave, New Haven, CT 06510
Description: The Sterling Power Plant, built in 2010, is a 15-megawatt co-generation facility that provides steam, chilled water, and electricity to the Yale School of Medicine and Yale-New Haven Hospital.
Did you know? The Sterling Power Plant produces 15 megawatts of electricity from two turbines and recycles the resulting heat to generate 180,000 pounds of steam per hour using two heat recovery steam generators.
Benefit: The facility’s energy-efficient design supports key medical and hospital facilities, contributing to reduced energy consumption.
Get Involved: Assist in spreading awareness about energy conservation by helping to circulate posters and information.
Becton Micro Wind Turbines
Location: 15 Prospect St, New Haven, CT 06511
Description: A pilot project to test wind power installed in March 2009, decommissioned in 2019.
Did you know? 10 micro wind turbines produced 25 megawatt hours of energy annually.
Get involved: Join an energy-related group on campus to learn more about new technology and efficiency opportunities.
Fisher Hall
Location: 352 Canner St, New Haven, CT 06511
Description: Solar panels on the roof of Yale Divinity School’s Fisher Hall provide a significant portion of its energy.
Did you know? Fisher Hall was the university’s first solar installation and supplies 17% of the building’s energy demand. The 225 solar panels produce 45,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.
Benefit: Investing in solar energy helps reduce energy costs and contributes to a greener campus environment.
Get Involved: Learn more about Yale Divinity School’s sustainability initiatives through their Action Plan.
Kroon Hall
Location: 195 Prospect St, New Haven, CT 06511
Description: Kroon Hall, home to Yale School of the Environment, is a state-of-the-art example of sustainable building design.
Did you know? Kroon Hall is LEED Platinum certified, with a 100-kilowatt solar array, a solar water heating system, and an abundance of natural light that minimizes carbon emissions. Its geothermal ventilation system and graywater system help reduce the building’s energy use and carbon footprint.
Benefit: Green technologies used in Kroon Hall reduce energy consumption, making it a model for sustainable urban design.
Get Involved: Explore ways to improve your building’s sustainability with the Yale Carbon Charge.
Credits: https://sustainability.yale.edu/take-action/sustainability-tour/energy