Three Pennsylvania institutions prepare for climate impacts; earn national recognition for improving reliability, resilience, sustainability

Sumner Byrne
October 21, 2021

Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, 查塔姆大学和拉法叶学院获得绿色商业认证公司的PEER认证.

Partnership between Organizations and manbetx手机版注册登录 Made Possible by U.S. Dept. Of Energy, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

WASHINGTON, D.C., OCTOBER 21, 2021 – Today, Green Business Certification Inc., 世界领先的可持续发展和健康认证和认证机构, announced that Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Lafayette College, 和查塔姆大学都获得了manbetx手机版注册登录的认证 电力更新(PEER)评级系统的卓越表现. PEER评级系统认可多个部门的电网改进,并奖励提高电网可靠性的电力用户, resilience, and sustainability.

Losing power puts lives at risk and disrupts economic activity. This year’s extreme weather events make clear that U.S grids are vulnerable to climate change. In February, a blizzard in Texas knocked out power for over four million people. Last month, Hurricane Ida left over a million Louisianans in the dark, some of whom still do not have access to reliable power. 仅今年夏天,就有三分之一的美国人受到极端气候相关事件的影响. 电网必须迅速适应,以建立弹性,并为未来的事件做好准备,以保证居住者的安全,并做好反弹的准备. 

Through manbetx手机版注册登录’s third-party verification, the communities of Lafayette College, Chatham University, and Milton S. 好时医疗中心(Hershey Medical Center)现在有了保证,他们的电力基础设施配备了不中断运行的设备. 宾西法尼亚州环境保护部和美国能源部的资助和支持,使manbetx手机版注册登录与这些机构的合作成为可能.S. Department of Energy.  

PEER认证意味着系统具有弹性、可靠性和可持续性. 该认证系统支持全球电网现代化工作,并认可提高效率的行业领导者, operational reliability, and overall resiliency. PEER评级系统评估四个类别的表现, including (1) reliability and resiliency, (2) energy efficiency and environment, (3) operations, management, and safety, and (4) grid services.

“DEP is pleased to support Hershey Medical Center, Chatham University, and Lafayette College in taking action to protect the resilience, reliability, and sustainability of our electric grid. 这个认证证明了他们在负责任地使用能源和保护他们的基础设施方面的领导地位," said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell.

Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey Hershey Medical Center 获得PEER白金认证,最高认证等级,85分. 在评估期间,医学校园演示了零分钟的电力中断. Additionally, 该项目95%的配电线路都由配电冗余和自动恢复机制保护. 该项目一半的电力负荷由清洁发电(CHP)技术提供.

Under its PEER Certification, 好时医疗中心必须确保在整个紧急事件期间的可靠运作, excessive heat, and high demand for the safety of its patients. 这个拥有628个床位的设施是宾夕法尼亚州中部唯一的当地学术医疗中心, 也是该州唯一被认证为儿童和成人一级创伤中心的医疗机构. Power disruptions interrupt normal life for anyone, 但停电对我们最关键的服务有更危险的影响. 在医疗设施中,即使是短暂的灯火管制也会造成生命和金钱的损失. With their PEER certification, 好时医疗中心可以放心,即使在极端天气事件中,患者也不会受到威胁.

他说:“我们致力建立一个整体架构,以提高电力系统的效率和效益,” explained Marvin W. Smith, P.E., CHFM, Assistant Vice President of Facilities. “Through PEER certification, we demonstrate dedication to reliability, resiliency and the environment. 

Chatham University – Eden Hall Campus, Pittsburgh -查塔姆大学以56分获得PEER银质认证, 向大学2025年实现碳中和的目标展示了明显的进展. Chatham’s PEER project 是世界上第一个学生主导的PEER认证吗. 五名研究生参与了PEER过程,获得了课程学分,并编写了一份内部报告,倡导进一步改进电网.

查塔姆的电网现已得到加强,包括可再生能源, which reduces the carbon footprint of the campus. Based upon Eden Hall Campus’s successful PEER certification, 查塔姆将考虑将未来的PEER项目纳入大学课程.

“查塔姆的伊甸园大厅校园被设计成一个可持续性和弹性的生活实验室, 把PEER作为一个学生领导的真实世界的项目是非常有意义的, where students can drive progress while developing their skills,” noted Dr. Mary Whitney, Director of University Sustainability. “我们非常高兴,我们的几个学生选择追求他们的PEER Pro徽章作为这个项目的一部分.

Lafayette College, Easton -拉斐特学院(Lafayette College)以50分的成绩获得PEER银牌认证,这是其到2035年实现碳中和目标的一部分. 拉斐特学院所有的配电电缆都是地下的, significantly improving power service reliability. 学院所有的热量现在都由集中供暖系统供应, which improves energy efficiency and provides cost savings. Additionally, 学校参与了需求响应项目,从而实现了能源节约和高效电网管理. 

“获得PEER认证是我们实现2035年实现校园碳中和目标的关键一步," said Scott Kennedy, director of Facilities Operations at Lafayette College. “我们的团队确保了我们的分销系统, heating systems and generators are robust, 安全高效地继续努力保持拉斐特的绿色."

2020年,宾夕法尼亚州成为继肯塔基州之后第二个与PEER项目合作评估和现代化其电力系统的州. 这三位获奖者都是通过manbetx手机版注册登录与中国科学院的合作获得认证的 Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and made possible by investments by the U.S. Department of Energy’s State Energy Program. Thanks to this federal funding, PADEP能够与manbetx手机版注册登录合作,就PEER的使用对整个英联邦的项目团队进行培训,并根据电力系统性能的全球基准评估他们的进展. Through PEER, 这些获奖者正在支持和现代化他们的基础设施,以准备一个更有弹性的未来.