From Fossil Fuels to Renewable Energy
In order to decarbonize our campus energy system, Amherst is transitioning all heating and cooling systems in campus buildings to one fully integrated system powered by renewable energy. We'll do this through a low-temperature hot water and geothermal system.
In this system, water is heated to 130 degrees Fahrenheit through a combination of geothermal wells and electric heat pumps, and is then transported through underground pipes to provide heat to buildings. The advantages of this system are that it requires less energy to produce, loses less energy in transit, is safer to transport than steam, requires less maintenance, and can be powered by renewable energy such as wind and solar.
Amherst currently uses steam heating powered by fossil fuels. Converting to low-temperature hot water will require conversion of the heating system in buildings and the laying of new pipes underground to connect all campus buildings to each other and the low-temperature hot water system. To complete the transition, Amherst will also drill geothermal wells and install electric heat pumps.
See Frequently Asked Questions about geothermal systems and more.