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UCSD Recognized For Contributions To Clean Air In San Diego 

The University of California has received a VIP (Very Important Planet) Clean Air Award from San Diego Earthworks for its voluntary installation of a new cogeneration plant.  The award demonstrates UCSD’s continued dedication to both maintaining a clean environment and utilizing the most advanced technology.      

The 12th Annual VIP awards banquet was held recently by San Diego EarthWorks to celebrate the achievements of San Diego businesses and institutions that contribute to a sustainable future.  San Diego County Supervisor Pam Slater presented the award to UCSD, and Larry Oberti, UCSD environmental issues manager, accepted the award.

Last year, UCSD completed a 25-megawatt cogeneration plant to provide electrical and steam power to the campus community.  By running the cogeneration plant, which provides nearly all of UCSD’s daily electrical needs, steam is produced that would otherwise be produced by older boilers, which produce more pollution.  The state-of-the-art system was installed to reduce the nitrogen oxide emissions, the pollutant that forms smog, to 50 percent of the required levels set by the San Diego Air Pollution Control District.  The SCONOx emissions control system utilized by the UCSD cogeneration plant is one of the first commercial installations of the new, cutting edge technology. 

“The system delivers outstanding performance in the reduction of pollutants.”  said UCSD Cogeneration Plant Manager John Dilliott.  “Where we previously measured our pollution output in tons, we now use pounds. The reality is that our emissions from this plant are so low they cannot be accurately measured with today’s technology.”

According to Dilliot, UCSD is saving energy with the cogeneration plant because it is cogenerating electricity and steam at an efficiency of approximately 75 percent.  When the campus had to import this electricity, the efficiency to produce and transmit it was only 25-30 percent.  UCSD is also achieving savings of approximately $250,000 per month by producing its own energy instead of purchasing it.