- What is Vicinity's commitment to decarbonization?In 2020, Vicinity announced its pledge to achieve net zero carbon emissions across our operations by 2050. Vicinity will eliminate fossil fuels over the next 30 years and rely solely on renewable, carbon-free fuel sources to generate the steam and chilled water we deliver to our customers. We are moving quickly and have made significant progress in meeting our goal. Vicinity's clean energy future plan articulates our vision and roadmap to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
- How will Vicinity decarbonize?
The backbone of Vicinity’s decarbonization plan is the electrification of its operations. Electrified district energy utilizes existing infrastructure at a central facility and the irreplaceable and robust distribution piping to decarbonize urban buildings. Vicinity will import carbon-free electrons through co-located, existing substations to power electric boilers, coupled with industrial-scale heat pumps and thermal batteries, to deliver electrified, clean steam for heating, cooling, sterilization, humidification, and other thermal energy needs.
- Can renewables be integrated into district energy systems?Yes. While district energy systems have been around for decades, they have an essential role in our effort to decarbonize quickly. District energy systems are agile; they can swiftly and aggressively integrate renewables into their energy mix as more renewable electrons are available on the grid. By replacing fossil fuel infrastructure with electric boilers, heat pumps, thermal batteries, and other clean technology, district energy systems can effectively decarbonize communities without retrofitting or installing new electrical infrastructure in individual buildings.
- Can Vicinity help my building meet carbon reductions requirements?Yes. Vicinity Energy’s systems are helping commercial buildings meet local carbon reduction requirements, as well as the new Federal Building Perfomance Standard enacted by the Biden Administration. Utility-owned district systems, like Vicinity Energy’s, are categorized as indirect, Scope 2 emissions, and not part of the new Federal BPS. Federal buildings connected to Vicinity’s systems can instantly meet the requirements set by the new standard. However, we’re not stopping there: we are moving beyond these requirements as we take steps to electrify our operations and decarbonize the cities we serve, and ultimately pass these benefits on to our customers.
- What progress has Vicinity made in our commitment to net zero carbon emissions?Vicinity is actively greening our operations. We are purchasing renewable and carbon-free electricity to power our equipment and have incorporated biogenic fuels into our operations in Philadelphia, Boston, and Cambridge. Currently, we have installed our first electric boiler at our facility in Cambridge, MA, to begin delivering carbon-free eSteam™, to our customers. We have also begun the design process for the industrial-scale heat pump complex that will be installed at our Cambridge facility by 2028. Our team is completing extensive updates at our Cambridge facility to make way for the heat pump complex and prepare for the electric boiler to enter service in the fall of 2024. Our facilities across the country, in cities like Philadelphia and Kansas City, are also undergoing preparations to install these innovative technologies and decarbonize.
