City of Augusta

At a Glance
• System Configuration: 1 × C65 Grid Connect Capstone Microturbine with Building Automation System (BAS) controls
• Annual Generation: >500,000 kWh/year
• Energy Savings: ~$30,000 / year in reduced municipal energy expenditures
• Thermal Integration: 430,000 BTU/hr of recovered hot water handling 100% of winter space heating


The Challenge
Municipal governments face constant pressure to lower facility operating overhead and steward local taxpayer dollars effectively. Operating city offices and administrative spaces in Augusta, Maine, requires significant electrical and thermal energy, particularly during harsh winter months. Following regional natural gas pipeline expansions, municipal leaders sought an efficient, low-maintenance generation technology to convert primary fuel into both low-cost electricity and usable space heating, lowering the city's utility bills and environmental footprint.


The Solution
Veristar Energy engineered and delivered a 65 kW Combined Heat & Power system centered around a compact, high-efficiency C65 microturbine integrated directly into the City Center's hydronic heating loops and Building Automation System (BAS).
• Onsite Baseload Power: Generates over 500 MWh of clean electricity annually on-site, supplying consistent power directly to city offices and seamless grid-connect capability to pull supplemental power during peak administrative hours.
• 100% Winter Thermal Recovery: Recovers 430,000 BTU/hr of high-grade exhaust thermal energy in the form of hot water, supplying total building space heating throughout the winter and replacing conventional gas boiler load.
• High-Reliability Jet-Engine Tech: Utilizes air-bearing, single-moving-part turbine technology that eliminates liquid coolants and engine oil for quiet, ultra-low-maintenance operation in a civic center setting.
• Smart BAS Integration: Fully integrated with local building automation controls to dynamically modulate power output and distribute thermal energy efficiently based on real-time building demand.


The Results
• $30,000 Annual Taxpayer Savings: Cuts recurring municipal energy bills, providing a proven, long-term success model for civic facility efficiency.
• Complete Thermal Load Offset: Successfully captures and redirects waste heat to meet full facility heating requirements during cold Maine winters.
• Lowered Carbon Footprint: Significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions by generating power locally at far higher total efficiency than traditional central power plants.
• Uninterrupted Operations: Grid-connect design maintains continuous, stable power delivery across all municipal administrative functions without service interruption.