Southern New Hampshire University

At a Glance
• System Configuration: 1 × C65 Grid Connect Capstone Microturbine (65 kW) integrated with central BAS controls
• Annual Generation: >500,000 kWh/year of continuous on-site power
• Thermal Output: 430,000 BTU/hr of recovered hot water for athletic pool and facility heating

The Challenge
Founded in 1932, Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) has grown into a major national educational institution, serving over 170,000 online students and 3,000 residential students on its 300-acre Manchester campus along the Merrimack River. The university's expansive athletic facilities—including the Stan Spirou Field House with its 25-meter six-lane swimming pool—require continuous, high-volume energy for lighting, electrical demand, and heavy pool heating. To protect institutional budgets and align with sustainability commitments, SNHU needed an efficient, low-emission combined heat and power (CHP) solution to displace expensive utility grid power and boiler gas consumption.


The Solution
A 65 kW Combined Heat & Power (CHP) microturbine system was commissioned in 2013 at the campus athletic complex, fully integrated into the university's Building Automation System (BAS).
• Onsite Baseload Generation: Produces over 500 MWh of clean electricity annually on-site, offsetting expensive peak grid electricity purchases across campus facilities.
• Athletic Pool & Space Heating Recovery: Captures 430,000 BTU/hr of high-grade exhaust heat to continuously warm the 25-meter athletic pool and support building space heating demands.
• Low-Maintenance & Quiet Operation: Utilizes air-bearing turbine technology with a single moving part—eliminating oil, liquid coolants, and mechanical wear—ensuring quiet, clean operation adjacent to student facilities.
• Grid-Connected Efficiency: Operates in grid-connect mode in synchronization with the local utility power grid to optimize overall facility energy management.


The Results
• $30,000 Annual Savings: Cuts recurring energy overhead by $30,000 each year, allowing operational dollars to be reinvested into student programming and facility upgrades.
• Over a Decade of Proven Uptime: Highlights long-term operational success and system reliability maintained through continuous preventative service since 2014.
• High Thermal Efficiency: Captures waste exhaust heat to eliminate the heavy natural gas burden of heating a major collegiate athletic pool.
• Carbon Emissions Reduction: Lowers total campus carbon footprint, supporting SNHU's long-term environmental stewardship and clean energy goals.