On July 5, 2022, Governor Hochul signed into law the Utility Thermal Energy Networks and Jobs Act, which removed legal barriers to Utility owned Thermal Energy Networks and mandated the seven largest utilities in New York State to submit proposals for Thermal Energy Networks within their service territory.
National Grid has proposed a wastewater thermal energy network in Syracuse - the first project of this advanced, clean energy technology in the region and largest in the United States. The thermal energy network is proposed to harness existing heat energy from the Onondaga County Metropolitan Syracuse Wastewater Treatment Plant, transferring it from the treated wastewater effluent to a water-filled thermal network of closed-loop piping. The project will provide clean heating and cooling to new residential and commercial buildings in the Inner Harbor neighborhood of Syracuse, New York.
According to the US Department of Energy, roughly 350 billion kilowatt-hours of heat energy go down the drains every year in the US. That’s enough energy to power 30 million homes. Projects like National Grid’s wastewater thermal energy network in Syracuse are transforming our communities with this proven and clean energy source.
National Grid plans to construct a ~8,000 square foot Energy Center building, which will house pumps, heat exchangers, and controls as necessary to operate our Utility Thermal Energy Network. Related installations will include a Thermal Resource Pump Station, 750,000 gallon storage tank, and almost two miles of underground piping as necessary to connect the facility to the Inner Harbor customers.
Project development and design for this pilot project presented a unique set of geotechnical and environmental challenges due to the geologic and industrial history of the project site. Real world geologic and environmental issues encountered during design as well as the related tools that were utilized to reduce risk to the project will be discussed as a case study illustrating the importance of robust project development and thorough geotechnical and environmental review when working at a site.
***Free parking is available in the lot directly across from the restaurant on the North Franklin Street side. Please tell the parking lot attendant that you are “attending an event upstairs at the Dinosaur” in order to avoid being charged for parking.***