U of T begins major shift to electric power at Central Steam Plant
The university has installed two new electric boilers, reducing reliance on natural gas for heating the St. George campus and helping slash fossil fuel consumption by 75 per cent
The University of Toronto’s Central Steam Plant has been a cornerstone of campus operations since the 1950s and now heats almost 100 buildings on campus, as well as local landmarks such as the Royal Ontario Museum.
From coal in the early days, to natural gas and then cutting-edge heat recovery, the steam plant has stayed at the forefront of modern technologies to power generations of learning, research and discovery.
Now, it’s getting its biggest upgrade yet.
Over the past year, engineers have been working hard to decommission and remove one of four, four-storey tall gas-fired boilers to make space for some new arrivals — two new electrode steam boilers. The new boilers match the capacity of the old boiler but use electricity instead of natural gas.
“These new electric boilers will serve as the primary heat source for the St. George campus,” said Rajesh Patel, chief engineer and manager of U of T’s Central Steam Plant. “The remaining gas boilers will provide the balance as needed to ensure stable and efficient heating, especially during winter.”
This marks the latest phase of Project Leap, the university’s ambitious plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at St. George by more than 50 per cent by the end of 2027.
Each new boiler, standing two-storeys tall, was craned into a specially cut hole in the steam plant roof during the summer break. The new units take up significantly less space than the old gas boiler, allowing the university to also add new heat pumps to further boost the steam plant’s energy performance.
Together with the geoexchange under Front Campus, these changes will help cut fossil fuel use on campus by 75 per cent.
“This is a major milestone in our journey to become climate positive by 2050,” said Ron Saporta, chief operating officer, property services & sustainability. “It’s more than just replacing equipment, it’s rethinking how we power U of T for the future.”
As well as upgrades at the Central Steam Plant, Project Leap includes expanding how we capture and store heat for use in the colder months using the new geoexchange system under Front Campus, upgrading to energy-efficient LED lighting in 38 buildings and optimizing energy used for air distribution systems in key research laboratories. Together, these changes will help save nearly 50,000 metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually, equivalent to the energy use of more than 10,000 homes.
Want to learn more? Visit the Project Leap webpages.