Johnson Controls, Inc. (NYSE: JCI) is expanding its business direction in the areas of designing, installing and servicing geothermal, solar, biomass, wind and other renewable sources as energy supply options for customers.
“We expect demand from businesses and organizations for onsite renewable energy to escalate as fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas increase in price and concern grows about their economic and environmental impact. The real opportunity for customers involves combining renewable technologies with innovative energy efficiency strategies,” says Bruno Biasiotta, vice president, solutions, Johnson Controls.
Don Albinger, a 25-year Johnson Controls veteran, has been named vice president of renewable energy solutions. Albinger will lead a team dedicated to the development of Johnson Controls renewable offerings to state, local and federal government agencies, school districts, hospitals, and private industry.
Johnson Controls has implemented several renewable projects for its customers, such as:
· Geothermal: Utah Department of Corrections. This heating plant project includes an onsite geothermal well that provides building heat for prison cell blocks, a furniture manufacturing shop, and a dormitory. It also heats water for use in showers and the kitchen and laundry systems. The waste water is piped to a neighboring tropical fish farm and a nearby wetland.
· Wind Turbines: Erie (Illinois) Community Unit School District. Johnson Controls is using wind energy generation to decrease the school district’s purchased electrical energy consumption by 87 percent, representing approximately $5.5 million in total energy savings over 30 years. A 1.2 megawatt wind turbine and tubular wind tower, along with an electrical distribution system, will provide energy to area schools.
· Solar: Denver Federal Center. Johnson Controls partnered with the U.S. General Services Administration and incorporated innovative strategies such as updating an existing solar domestic water heating system and improving an irrigation control system.
· Biomass Boilers: Indiana Department of Corrections. Johnson Controls is installing four industrial-grade biomass boilers and fuel delivery systems, which will use an estimated 1.3 million bushels of Indiana corn per year. The improvements are forecasted to save about 6.8 million kilowatt hours of electricity each year – the environmental equivalent of more than 2,800 passenger cars not being driven for one year.
· Digester Gas Cogeneration Plant: Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant, Baltimore. Johnson Controls is working on a 3 megawatt combined heat and power plant that will generate more than 2.4 megawatts of electricity per year, generate steam to offset process heating requirements making more gas available for use in the plant, and produce hot water for use in the boiler.
Johnson Controls is a global leader in interior experience, building efficiency and power solutions. For buildings, it offers products and services that optimize energy use and improve comfort and security. It provides batteries for automobiles and hybrid electric vehicles, along with systems engineering and service expertise.
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