Westchester Action Plan, 2008 - Westchester County Government

• Geothermal – Geothermal heat pumps
can be used for heating and cooling.
During warm weather, the heat from
the building is absorbed by the earth
and during cold weather the heat from
the relatively warmer earth is released
to the building. NYSERDA provides
information on heat pumps and lists xvi
of companies and professionals
providing geothermal heat pump design
and installation for residential and
commercial applications in Westchester
and surrounding areas at its website.
Ossining’s new $15.8 million 45,000 sf
library has a geothermal cooling and
heating system that is expected to pay for
itself within three years in saved energy
costs, and a curtain wall system that
provides natural light for 70 percent of its
lighting needs. Drought-resistant
landscaping, local materials, and a very
high recycling rate for demolition debris,
also are features of the library.
• Biomass – Biomass can be used to generate electricity and also to provide heat.
• Most electricity generated using biomass uses wood waste. This type of facility
is generally suitable for either a commercial scale power generation facility or is
associated with a manufacturing, agricultural or similar facility which generates
this type of waste on an ongoing basis. Methane generated from biomass can
also be used in this way. Landfills and wastewater treatment plants can have
opportunities to convert waste to energy as
can manufacturing operations that generate
organic waste.
• Biomass used for heating has a more general
application. Typically these consist of a fuel
appliance that burns small pellets made from
compacted sawdust, wood chips, bark,
agricultural crop waste, waste paper, and
other organic materials. This technology is
particularly suited for use in homes.
The Yonkers wastewater
treatment plant uses
methane produced in
wastewater treatment to
provide heat to the process
and to produce electricity.
• Hydropower and ocean energy – Hydropower and ocean energy have potential
application within Westchester County given that it is surrounded by tidal waters.
Newer experimental technologies take advantage of the flow and do not require
interruption of the flow of the waterbody as a dam does. These types of technologies
are generally suitable for commercial scale power generation.
• Windpower – Windpower can be suitable for commercial power generation and
individual applications. The potential for wind power is generally not optimum in
Westchester, where mean wind speeds are less than 6 meters per second (< 13.4
mph), as shown on New York’s wind map xvii . Specific locations would require full
evaluation for the applicability of this option.
Attachment 5: Energy
Westchester Action Plan, 2008 5-9