The new power plant at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center uses natural gas to generate between 60 percent and 100 percent of the electricity needed for the facility. Captured waste heat from the system generates steam for facility heating and cooling. The 7.5-megawatt, combined heat-and-power system burns natural gas in a turbine to generate electricity. The system is slightly larger than a tractor-trailer. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority provided partial funding with a $1.1 million grant.

"Co-generation is a win for patients, a win for the environment and a win for our Hospital´s bottom line," says Dr. Steven J. Corwin, executive vice president and COO of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. The new plant will reduce in fewer emissions of pollutant from the generation of power needed to run the facility. "Cleaner air means healthier communities, and the dollars saved by using this technology can be redirected to patient care. By showing that co-generation is possible even given the challenges of a complex, urban environment, we hope to provide a model for other hospitals across the country to do the same."

A second, larger co-generation plant is planned for the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center campus.

Contact Waste & Recycling News reporter Amanda Smith-Teutsch at 330-865-6166 or asmith-teutsch@crain.com