Central Washington University | CWU Uses Geothermal Technology as Key Solution to Decarbonize Campus

Central Washington University is using geothermal technology to achieve its goal of reducing campus-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030 and becoming a net-zero carbon campus by 2050 at the latest.

Construction is currently underway on the GeoEco Center and North Academic Complex (NAC) at CWU, which will replace two energy-inefficient academic buildings constructed in the 1970s.

The GeoEco Center will utilize an open-loop heat pump system to heat and cool half a million square feet of campus infrastructure, including the NAC. The geothermal plant is scheduled to be operational in early 2026 and will catalyze CWU’s efforts to decarbonize its energy system over the next 15 years. The first GeoEco Center CWU, along with the demolition of two old and energy-inefficient buildings, will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 33,000 tons over 50 years.

Approximately 60% of CWU’s greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to its use of natural gas to heat campus buildings. CWU owns and operates a district energy system (also known as a central power plant) consisting of three water-cooled chillers and four hot water steam boilers that provide the majority of heating and cooling for campus buildings. CWU is committed to investing in future-proof geothermal technology to effectively decarbonize its heating and cooling infrastructure.

The geothermal system equipment will include an injection well, an extraction well, a six-pipe heat pump and a groundwater heat exchanger, which will help ensure that groundwater is not contaminated. Groundwater will not be used and will serve only as an energy exchanger. The extraction well will draw groundwater from the Ellensburg Aquifer (800-1000 feet below the Earth’s surface) and the injection well will reintroduce groundwater into the aquifer.

The GeoEco Center will also feature a solar array and an educational panel for students, faculty, staff and community members interested in learning more about the function and mechanics of a geothermal system. An added benefit is that the GeoEco Center CWU will serve as a model for other institutions and agencies looking to decarbonize their energy systems.

CWU received additional funding from the Washington State Legislature earlier this year to install and build a second geothermal injection and extraction well, but that funding is contingent on the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) surviving a potential repeal on the November election. If the CCA is repealed, CWU would lose funding for a second geothermal plant and face significant barriers to meeting its greenhouse gas reduction goals.

More details about the mechanics of the Geo-Eco Center CWU can be found in the presentation by Anthony Schoen, Director of Mechanical Systems at MW Engineers.

To learn more about CWU’s goals and strategies for campus decarbonization, review CWU’s Climate Action Plan, which was completed in early 2024. For questions or additional information, contact Jeff Bousson, CWU’s Chief Sustainability Officer, or Delano Palmer, Director of Capital Planning and Projects.

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Editor’s Note: This blog post, written by Jeff Bousson, CWU Sustainability Officer, was published on the Geothermal Rising website last week. The organization connects the geothermal community and promotes geothermal energy in the U.S. and around the world.