Optimizing operation of a campus energy system for economic and environmental considerations

The objective of this thesis is to determine effective costs of campus utilities, optimal operation of energy conversion and production subsystems through minimization of economic and environmental costs, and to evaluate how changing electrical grid costs and sources will affect future optimal operations at a campus. Characteristic days were developed to typify campus activities and their impact on energy consumption. At current grid electricity and natural gas prices, utilization of a cogeneration unit, a form of combined heat and power plant, is less expensive than purchasing equivalent amounts of electric and gas to produce steam, as long as there is sufficient campus demand for the electricity and steam produced. Carbon dioxide emissions during cogeneration unit operation was nearly the same as purchasing equivalent amounts of electric and gas to produce steam. Simulation of economic and environmental performance of the cogeneration plant, found minor differences between least expensive and greenest operations. Analyses suggested that grid emissions will not become clean enough to merit decommissioning of cogeneration plant early. Operation of the cogeneration plant is favorable for economical and environmental considerations