AMHERST — An industrial heat pump described as among the first of its kind in the United States will be installed at the Central Heating Plant at the University of Massachusetts using a $7.35 million state grant.
The award, announced Thursday as part of $23 million in grants, will support 45% of the costs of nine large-scale projects that will replace fossil fuel systems. The grants come from the state Department of Energy Resources’ Leading by Example Decarbonization Implementation Grant Program.
In the case of the flagship campus, the money will support the installation of a 5-megawatt industrial heat pump. This electric-powered heat pump will use waste heat from the existing power plant to produce low-pressure steam and result in annual on-site greenhouse gas emission reductions of almost 10,500 metric tons starting in 2028. That represents removing about 12% of total campus emissions.
So far, fewer than two dozen of these industrial heat pump systems have been installed nationwide.
Chancellor Javier Reyes said in a statement that he is grateful for the support and ongoing collaboration with the state department.
“This Leading by Example grant will enable UMass Amherst to significantly reduce our greenhouse emissions through a new industrial heat pump, which is a major component of our decarbonization effort and will continue to help us lead in sustainability efforts and carbon-free energy transformation,” Reyes said.
The grant had previously been announced at a Faculty Senate meeting in the spring, where it was noted the university would be contributing an additional $11 million for the heat pump upgrades, and reducing the use of pipeline gas.
At that meeting, an additional $2.2 million grant from the Department of Energy Resources was announced for placing solar canopies in Lot 28, off Mullins Way and between the Mullins Center and the Amherst Wastewater Treatment Plant.
In addition to the flagship campus, the other projects awarded Thursday are on the UMass Dartmouth, UMass Boston, Massachusetts Maritime Academy and Salem State University campuses, as well as state sites overseen by the Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Department of Developmental Services.
“Every dollar we invest in upgrading our public buildings is a dollar that improves public health and helps lower long-term costs for taxpayers,” Gov. Maura Healey said in a statement. “These projects will replace aging fossil fuel systems with cleaner, more efficient technologies that reduce pollution, protect against rising energy costs, and ensure our colleges and state facilities are built for the future.”
The announcement was made at UMass Dartmouth, with Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper, Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Elizabeth Mahony and UMass Dartmouth Chancellor Mark Fuller in attendance.
Combined, the projects are expected to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 21,000 metric tons, or 625,000 metric tons over the life of the projects. That is equivalent to the emissions from using more than 1.4 million barrels of oil or driving about 145,000 gas-powered vehicles for one year.
