Vanderweil served as the Engineer of Record for this major CHP expansion for Arizona State University. The project aimed to maintain a resilient source of primary electric power and chilled water for the ASU Research Community 12 kV microgrid in support of new research buildings.

Phase 1 services include assessment of options, operating impacts, and economic viability for adding a second combustion turbine generator (CTG) and heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) to the existing CHP plant. The team determined that this upgrade would increase CHP utilization from 59% to 82%, provide annual energy savings of $2,500,000 per year, and reduce CO2 emissions.

Following this assessment, ASU decided to move forward with the upgrade, adding the second 7 MW CTG with a HRSG and associated balance of plant (BOP) subsystems. Additionally, the scope included the reconfiguration of campus chilled water production, storage, and distribution; steam production and distribution; condensate recovery; and emergency power distribution.

As the project moved forward from the assessment effort, Phase 2 included programming, permitting, utility interconnection (with Arizona Public Service and Southwest Gas), major equipment procurement support, detailed design, and construction administration. Vanderweil also provided commissioning and training services for the plant expansions.