NiSource Energy Technologies and the Breeden YMCA (Angola, Indiana, U.S.) announce the installation and commissioning of a combined heat and power (CHP) system at the Breeden YMCA.

The installation is the result of a collaborative effort of business, community, government and university commitments and contributions. Contributors to and participants in the project include the Build Indiana Fund, Cole Foundation, Indiana Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of Agriculture-Rural Development, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), NiSource Energy Technologies and Northern Indiana Fuel & Light.

The YMCA system includes two 60-kW microturbines and heat exchangers that use natural gas to generate electricity. In addition, the system's by-product heat will supplement heat for the domestic water supply, and swimming and therapy pool water, and provide space heat for the facility. A desiccant unit that cools the air through dehumidification will be added later.

The system will generate approximately 25% of the facility's summer electrical load and up to 70% of the winter load requirement. The YMCA expects the system will reduce its overall energy costs by about 10%. In addition, the system's backup generation capabilities provide increased reliability for the YMCA's critical electrical systems. This backup capability provides an added advantage to the YMCA, which serves as a disaster relief center. Protecting the critical circuits keeps the facility open to serve the public even during an electrical outage.

The community as a whole benefits as a result of this installation. The YMCA lowers its overall energy costs and expands its use to the community in the services it provides. These services include the facility's use as an emergency center due to back up capabilities, its use as energy demonstration site, and its use to further promote learning through university participation.

Industrial Contracting & Engineering (Angola) designed and constructed the 400-sq ft (37-sq m) showroom for the CHP system for NiSource Energy Technologies. The building will allow students and visitors to easily access and view the CHP system and its computer controls. The project's sponsors expect the facility to be used as a site for future energy conferences and provide educational sharing opportunities with Tri State University students.
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