UD, AES Ohio, Tallgrass sign deal to power campus

A Denver energy company will build a Fayette County system this year to capture industrial heat and generate power for the University of Dayton, the university announced Monday with its partners in the endeavor.

In a statement, UD called the agreement a “first-ofits-kind partnership.”

Denver-based Tallgrass, UD, and Dayton electric service utility AES Ohio entered into a long-term agreement cementing a project that has been three years in the making.

The system will capture heat from exhaust stacks of several gas turbines in AES Ohio’s service region that otherwise would have been vented into the atmosphere, convert that heat to electricity, and then sell it to AES Ohio at a fixed, 15-year rate.

Many industrial processes vent exhaust flue gas containing what might be seen as wasted energy in the form of heat. This heat can be converted into carbon-free electricity, according to an explanation of the system from AES Ohio.

These systems, which have been used across the world, use an organic fluid that heats up to drive a turbine.

The electricity generated is carbon-free because no additional combustion is required, the utility said.

The facility will offset all the university’s electricity needs and reduce its carbon footprint by 71%.

Under the agreement, AES Ohio will purchase power from the plant to meet UD’s power needs.

“The energy purchased is solely for the University of Dayton; no additional costs or charges will be assessed to other customers,” the partners said in their release.

“The benefits derived from this project will be shared with the broader community and customers. As a local distribution interconnection, the generator will pay for AES Ohio’s distribution service.”

“In our Marianist tradition of being good stewards of our resources, we identified and pursued this sustainability solution that reduces environmental impacts while supporting an equitable and prosperous University of Dayton, now and into the future,” said Rick Krysiak, UD’s vice president for facilities management and planning.

“We believe this solution will help us achieve our energy goals.”

Construction is expected to begin later this year, with an in-service date planned for the fourth quarter of 2025.

“This agreement takes us one step closer to bringing innovative energy solutions that will fundamentally change our energy future. It enables us to collaborate on clean energy projects to help customers reach their sustainability goals,” said Tom Raga, AES Ohio president.

Tallgrass will build, own and operate the facility, linking it to an existing compressor station on the Rockies Express Pipeline which is 75% owned by Tallgrass and 25% by Phillips 66.