Oakland University

At a Glance
• System Configuration: 2 × C200 Dual Mode Capstone Microturbines with DMSC and central BAS controls
• Annual Generation: >3,000 MWh/year of clean, reliable electricity
• Thermal Output: 2,000,000 BTU/hr (2 MMBtu/hr) of recovered hot water for space heating and perimeter snow-melting systems
• Long-Term Service Partner: Commissioned in 2013 and maintained continuously by Vergent Energy


The Challenge
Serving nearly 16,000 students across a historic campus with roots dating back to 1957, Oakland University in Rochester Hills, Michigan, manages a diverse building fleet—ranging from legacy structures to modern facilities like the Engineering Center and renovated South Foundation Hall. Modernizing campus infrastructure required relief for the university’s Central Heating Plant (CHP) and its high-temperature hot water (HTHW) distribution network. The university needed a distributed generation solution to lower energy costs from regional utility provider DTE Energy, handle heavy winter heating and outdoor perimeter snow-melting loads, and supply dual-mode emergency backup power to vital building operations during blackout events.


The Solution
Oakland University deployed a 400 kW Combined Heat & Power (CHP) system featuring two Capstone C200 microturbines integrated into its Building Automation System (BAS) and maintained continuously by Vergent Energy.
• On-Site Baseload Generation: Produces over 3,000 MWh of clean electricity annually, offsetting expensive utility power purchases across campus research and instructional facilities.
• Building & Snow-Melt Heat Recovery: Captures 2,000,000 BTU/hr of exhaust waste heat to supply interior space heating and power perimeter hydronic snow-melting systems, easing the load on the Central Heating Plant.
• Dual-Mode Resiliency & Grid Isolation: Automatically disconnects from the utility grid during local blackouts to provide seamless emergency island power to essential building systems like elevators and safety lighting.
• Academic & Research Flagship: Serves as an active operational laboratory for the university’s Clean Energy Research Center and School of Engineering and Computer Sciences (SECS).


The Results
• $200,000 Annual Energy Savings: Significantly lowers university utility expenditures, allowing capital to be reinvested into academic programs, research, and student services.
• Critical Facility Backup: Delivers autonomous dual-mode power protection during main grid disruptions, ensuring uninterrupted lighting and emergency elevator operation.
• Decarbonization Leadership: Reduces overall campus carbon emissions by deriving simultaneous electricity and thermal energy from a single fuel source.
• Long-Term Partner Support: Maintained continuously by Vergent Energy to complement the skilled stationary engineers at the Central Heating Plant, ensuring peak operational availability and system longevity.



“Central heating plants are always a good target for CHP systems, however, smaller distributed generation CHP and solar is worth a close look in today’s energy economy. Resiliency, backup power, carbon reduction, and planning for the future of sustainable energy infrastructure can all be based on CHP. If smaller distributed baseload systems are your choice, Capstone microturbines are a prime solution.”

James Leidel, Director of Clean Energy Systems
Oakland University