Renewables company Brightcore Energy began constructing a new geothermal heating and cooling project at Bard College, a private liberal arts college in New York, to replace the current fossil fuel fired- system at the school’s library.
The initial scope of the project includes 50 boreholes, drilled to a depth of 500 ft, that will contain the 1¼ in diameter geothermal loops and thermally enhanced grout, Brightcore said in a Feb. 27 press release.
“It is the default for all new construction projects, and nearly 38% of the campus building area utilizes the technology,” said Dan Smith, Bard’s energy manager and special projects coordinator. “However, converting the rest of the existing building stock is an entirely new set of challenges, especially when infrastructure is 50 to 100 or more years old.”
Smith says the project will be Bard’s first effort to transform its library, with an oil-fire boiler plant and conventional chiller system, to a ground-source heat exchanger and heat pump plant.
Bard has been an early adopter of geothermal, with some systems on campus dating to the late 1980s. Through its office of sustainability, the college pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035, the release stated.
Brightcore will deliver feasibility and design, drilling and ground loop installation, mechanical connections, incentive procurement and ongoing system performance monitoring upon completion.
Recommended Reading
NAPE: Chevron’s Chris Powers Talks Traditional Oil, Gas Role in CCUS
2024-02-12 - Policy, innovation and partnership are among the areas needed to help grow the emerging CCUS sector, a Chevron executive said.
US Drillers Add Oil, Gas Rigs for Third Time in Four Weeks
2024-02-09 - Despite this week's rig increase, Baker Hughes said the total count was still down 138 rigs, or 18%, below this time last year.
NAPE: Turning Orphan Wells From a Hot Mess Into a Hot Opportunity
2024-02-09 - Certain orphaned wells across the U.S. could be plugged to earn carbon credits.
Sangomar FPSO Arrives Offshore Senegal
2024-02-13 - Woodside’s Sangomar Field on track to start production in mid-2024.
CNOOC Makes 100 MMton Oilfield Discovery in Bohai Sea
2024-03-18 - CNOOC said the Qinhuangdao 27-3 oilfield has been tested to produce approximately 742 bbl/d of oil from a single well.