Parts from Decommissioned Cardinal Cogeneration Plant Reused

When Stanford’s new Central Energy Facility came online as part of the Stanford Energy System Innovations program, the Cardinal Cogeneration plant that had provided virtually all of the university’s energy needs since 1987 was formally decommissioned. While the facility had reached the end of its useful life, a number of parts were salvaged for reuse in other projects around the country.

The turbine is being refurbished for use in a manufacturing facility in Southern California, where it will generate electricity as a replacement for coal-fired equipment. In addition, 13,000 pounds of recovered ammonia will be used for agricultural fertilizer, and more than 20,000 pounds of refrigerants were recovered for reuse by the original vendor. Approximately 60,000 gallons of diesel fuel were re-refined for sale off site, reducing the need for virgin refinement. All of the facility’s steel and concrete will be recycled and used for future projects at Stanford.