College of the Canyons has been awarded $3 million by the South Coast Air Quality Management District to upgrade its existing fuel cell technology system, which is expected to bring the college one step closer to energy independence, officials said Thursday.

The incentive fund from SCAQMD was given to 26 various businesses, organizations, government agencies and utility companies. However, COC was one of only three educational institutions to be awarded.

COC’s award was also the fourth largest of the $47.4 million granted in total, according to Jim Schrage, vice president of facilities planning, operations and construction for COC.

“By partnering with and providing funding to projects that coincide with SCAQMD’s goals, we can begin to replace older, higher-emitting appliances and equipment, support infrastructure that promotes cleaner and renewable fuels, upgrade engines and vehicles to zero and near-zero emission technologies and help green our ports,” said SCAQMD Executive Officer Wayne Nastri in a news release.

The award was a result in part of Bloom Energy Corp., who submitted a proposal on the college’s behalf, according to officials.

“Bloom was aware of our wish to improve our existing energy-efficient technology,” Schrage said. “We are always looking for ways to improve efficiency on campus.”

College officials expect to see a dramatic reduction of the school’s emissions, carbon footprint and dependency on the energy grid, according to officials.

The SCAQMD award is set to go toward removing the college’s two co-generators, upgrading the existing cooling tower and adding a new chiller to compensate for the lost production of cold water currently produced by the existing co-generator.

In addition, Bloom is set to increase the current fuel cell project capacity from 1 megawatt to 1.5 megawatts.

“We will be half off the grid,” said Schrage. “We are really close to being fully energy independent.”

The award will also reportedly help expand the college’s recently-approved fuel cell plant on the west side of campus, and reduce the cost of electricity produced by the fuel cell plant over the life of the system contract, which is 15 years, explained Schrage.

COC installed its first central plant on the roof of what is now Bonelli Hall, but as the campus continued to grow, the need for expansion of the central plant became apparent in the early 1990s.

A central plant is a facility that houses chillers, boilers and cooling towers that serve as a single supply source for hot water and chilled water that services multiple buildings from a central location.

The college’s new fuel cell plant will reportedly provide the campus with a 1.5 megawatt energy system with enough reserve capacity for the whole campus.

Schrage expects the college’s transition to fuel cell power to be completed by February 2020.

Ed. Note: This information was provided to KHTS by College of the Canyons.

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