Dec 23 2010
Plymouth is planning to launch a new geothermal system installed in its Cultural Center. This initiative is expected to create a savings of over $100,000 annually when compared to the preceding energy system.
The city is to host a party for dignitaries only at the Cultural Center for one hour at 6 pm, after which the center would be thrown open to the public at 7 pm for a chance to skate without any charges for the whole week in the first ever geothermal-based ice rink in Michigan. The public can then attend a hockey game between Salem High School and the Plymouth High School at 8.30 pm. Children who play for the Plymouth Canton Hockey Association would be allowed in, free of cost provided they come in wearing their team jerseys.
Geothermal "Ice Kube" System
According to Paul Sincock, City Manager, the city decided to go green by drawing energy from the earth. It was essential to substitute the 40 year old heating, air-conditioning and ventilation system having three massive compressors and one huge boiler for the 62,000 square foot area center. He mentioned that this new system would provide considerable savings and pay for itself. The city was shelling out almost $250,000 for utility and maintenance bills. Steve Anderson, the City’s Recreation Director, revealed that the old equipment were all from 1970s and might stop functioning any time in the foreseeable future. Spare parts for replacement were also difficult to locate and there was also a lack of knowledge as to how to fix the old equipment when things went wrong.
The new system has the Ice Kube system instead of boilers and compressors and they employ small and separate parts to draw energy from the 45 5 inch wells drilled into the ground close to the Cultural Center with a depth of 400 feet. The water maintained at a constant temperature both cools and warms the building. The ice for the rink is made from an older conventional system, but the heat from the ice creation is ploughed back into the building or pumped into the wells. Anderson further mentioned that instead of using the whole engine the whole time, it was better to use smaller engines to satisfy the requirements and these could also easily be fixed if something went wrong. Only a few cities in the US were utilizing this technology for ice rinks but most of the communities in Canada have been using this technology for more than ten years. This decision was made after Anderson and his colleagues went to Canada to establish the veracity of the system and then decided that it would be highly suitable for the Cultural Center. The Cultural Center is also being used as a Senior Citizens Community Center.
Source: http://www.ci.plymouth.mi.us/