Belleville Arena

At a Glance
• System Configuration: 3 × C65 Grid Connect Capstone Microturbines with controls
• Annual Generation: >1.5 Million kWh/year
• Energy Savings: ~$150,000 / year via Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) structure
• Thermal Integration: 1,300,000 BTU/hr (1.3 MMBtu/hr) of hot water for aquatic center pools and domestic hot water


The Challenge
Large municipal recreation complexes like the Quinte Sports & Wellness Centre - housing four NHL-sized ice pads, the 4,400-seat CAA Arena, a gymnasium, and the Templeman Aquatic Centre - are among the most energy-intensive municipal facilities to operate. Balancing heavy simultaneous electrical loads (ice refrigeration, lighting, HVAC) with high thermal requirements (pool water heating, domestic hot water, ice resurfacing) leaves municipalities heavily vulnerable to surging grid tariffs and global adjustment charges. The City of Belleville needed an efficient, low-risk energy solution to curb operating costs and stabilize energy budgets for its flagship community facility.


The Solution
Veristar Energy deployed a 195 kW microturbine Combined Heat & Power system featuring three C65 units, structured through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) to deliver predictable energy pricing directly to the City.
• Onsite Baseload Generation: Produces over 1,500 MWh of continuous electricity annually on-site, supplying clean power directly to the complex and shielding municipal operations from volatile grid electricity tariffs.
• Aquatic & Domestic Thermal Recovery: Recovers 1.3 MMBtu/hr of high-grade exhaust heat in the form of hot water, continuously heating the Templeman Aquatic Centre’s swimming pools and domestic hot water systems to offset primary boiler fuel consumption.
• Optimized Multi-Unit Dispatch: Utilizes microMTIM automated controls to match generation output with the facility's dynamic electrical and thermal demand profile.
• Low-Risk Financial Model: Delivers clean electricity and thermal energy under a structured agreement, maximizing public capital efficiency without technical burden on municipal staff.


The Results
• $150,000 Annual Energy Savings: Delivers substantial annual cost reductions for the city, lowering the public cost to operate major community recreation assets.
• 100% Thermal Load Utilization: Achieves high total system efficiency by capturing waste heat to meet year-round pool and domestic water heating requirements.
• Ultra-Low Maintenance Overhead: Built on air-bearing microturbine technology with a single moving part per engine, ensuring quiet operation, minimal ongoing maintenance, and zero vibration near sports facilities.
• Proven Model for Municipal Aquatics & Arenas: Demonstrates a repeatable, highly efficient energy model for municipal facilities with coincidental electrical and thermal loads.