From OSU’s proposal of the CHP plant to the Ohio Power Sitting Board (see “Important Documents”)
At the time of this update, March 26, 2021, President Johnson of the Ohio State University supports the continued construction and future use of this plant.
CHP stands for combined heat and power plant, which means this plant will provide both heat and electricity to the university. According OSU’s own estimations, it will cost $278 million, save an estimated $10 million a year for the university, and is expected to break-even in about 12 years. They also estimate a 30-35% decrease in carbon emissions for the university. This only takes into account emissions directly from the plant, not the fugitive emissions released at the point of extraction.
The only feasible way to get large amounts of natural gas is through hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking. Fracking involves using water or mud to break up rocks (primarily shale) to release natural gas from the earth. Natural gas is a fossil fuel like coal and oil in that it’s made of ancient dead organisms, but its greenhouse gas emissions are significantly lower when being burned (not including emissions at the site of extraction, which may be significant). Fracking also has several downsides, including risk of water contamination and a correlation to earthquakes becoming more frequent and intense.
Fracking and the fossil fuel industry as a whole disproportionately affect poor, Black, Indigenous, and POC communities. The university administrators overseeing the construction of this plant are entirely white, and the Sustainability Institute at Ohio State’s leadership are also 100% white. The environmental injustices associated with fracking, including the negative environmental effects, negative health outcomes in nearby communities, and the effects of natural disasters, which disproportionately harm marginalized communities, have not been prioritized in the planning and construction of the CHP plant. This clearly shows the effect of racism and classism that has tainted the university and the environmental movement for generations.
Several student organizations, including the Sierra Club Student Coalition, GradRoots, Undergraduate Student Government, the Society for Ecological Restoration at Ohio State, and more, as well as concerned individuals, have been bringing up concerns about the plant for several months, but were largely ignored or dismissed by OSU representatives before students held protests in October and November.
The biggest concerns of students are as follows:
- Is investment into fossil fuels at this time the best thing OSU can do to decrease carbon emissions?
- Why is OSU not investing this much money into renewable energy sources like wind, solar, geothermal, and green hydrogen fuel?
- Who is going to be harmed from the use of fracking to get the natural gas?
- Why isn’t OSU using its influence, power, and faculty expertise to support green, renewable energy sources?
- Why were so few students and faculty contacted about this plant before the proposal was being written, even ones actively involved in sustainability and renewable energy work?
Here are some important resources about the plant:
OSU’s Combined Heat and Power Plant Website
Recording & transcript of the August 4th public hearing on the plant
CHP plant case Information from the Ohio Power Sitting Board
OBSB Case Record for the CHP plant’s approval
Information concerning the plant from the Sustainability Institute
Site of the plant:
From OSU’s proposal for the plant to the Ohio Power Siting Board (see “Important Documents”)
The CHP plant is set to be constructed on West Campus next to the Howlett Greenhouses and the Department of Food Science and Technology. As most CFAES and SENR students know, much of this part of campus is part of the Chadwick Arboretum, including areas being directly impacted by the construction. Many SENR and Ag students are upset with this area being used for a natural gas plant.
Timeline of construction (**will be altered because of the pandemic, but there has been no official timeline released yet**):
From OSU’s proposal for the CHP plant to the Ohio Power Siting Board (see “Important Documents”)
News articles about the plant:
Energy, sustainability specialists address concerns over West Campus power plant plans
Ohio State students, faculty testify for, against on-campus natural gas plant
https://energynews.us/2020/07/13/midwest/ohio-state-power-plant-case-pits-clean-energy-technologies-against-each-other/
https://www.columbusunderground.com/concerns-raised-about-proposed-power-plant-on-osu-campus-bw1
https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/09/24/ohio-states-278m-heat-and-power-plant-plan.html