Vicinity Energy
{{Short description|American energy company}}
Vicinity Energy is the largest district energy provider in the United States. Headquartered in Boston, it is a subsidiary of Antin Infrastructure Partners. It launched at the beginning of 2020 on Antin's purchase of Veolia's U.S. district energy assets in 11 cities for $1.25 billion, and has acquired further systems since.{{cite news |title=Antin strikes deal for Veolia's US district energy business at USD 1.25bn EV |url=https://www.inframationgroup.com/antin-strikes-deal-veolia%E2%80%99s-us-district-energy-business-usd-125bn-ev |access-date=26 January 2022 |work=Inframation |date=12 August 2019 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=Vicinity is the Largest Provider of District Energy in North America |url=https://www.vicinityenergy.us/press-releases/vicinity-energy-largest-provider-district-energy-solutions-north-america |access-date=26 January 2022 |work=Vicinity |date=27 January 2020}}
Vicinity Energy's systems include:
- The 163MW Grays Ferry co-generation plant in Philadelphia, serving over 70 million square feet of building space, including Walnut Street Theatre.{{cite news |title=Vicinity to Provide Heat and Hot Water to America's Oldest Theatre |url=https://www.vicinityenergy.us/press-releases/vicinity-energy-secures-20-year-contract-to-provide-heat-and-hot-water-to-americas-oldest-theatre |work=Vicinity |date=17 December 2020}}
- The district energy plant in Tulsa, Oklahoma serving 7 million square feet of building space in Downtown Tulsa.
- The district energy system in Oklahoma City, serving 9.9 million square feet of building space.
- The 200MW Kendall Cogeneration Station serving 70 million square feet of building space.{{cite news |title=The Green Way for The Bay State to Keep Warm |url=https://www.vicinityenergy.us/connect/the-green-way-for-bay-state-to-keep-warm |work=Vicinity |date=6 October 2021}}{{cite news |title=Vicinity Shifts Boston Facilities to 100% Emissions-Free Electricity |url=https://www.vicinityenergy.us/press-releases/vicinity-shifts-boston-district-energy-facilities-to-emissions-free-electricity |work=Vicinity |date=16 December 2021}}
- The district energy facility in Kansas City, Missouri, serving 11 million square feet of building space.{{cite news |title=Vicinity Secures Contract to Expand District Energy in Kansas City |url=https://www.vicinityenergy.us/press-releases/vicinity-secures-20-year-contract-district-energy-kansas-city-hotel-phillips |work=Vicinity |date=8 September 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Stafford |first1=Diane |title=Energy company that heats and cools downtown Kansas City is going green |url=https://www.kansascity.com/news/business/technology/article91144052.html |access-date=26 January 2022 |publisher=Kansas City Star |date=July 21, 2016}}
- The Kent County waste-to-energy facility and district energy system in Grand Rapids, serving 10 million square feet of building space.{{cite news |title=Vicinity Energy Cuts Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Grand Rapids |url=https://www.vicinityenergy.us/press-releases/vicinity-cuts-greenhouse-gas-emissions-grand-rapids |work=Vicinity |date=18 August 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Balaskovitz |first1=Andy |title=New GR steam plant owner eyes expansion amid downtown growth |url=https://mibiz.com/sections/energy/new-gr-steam-plant-owner-eyes-expansion-amid-downtown-growth |access-date=26 January 2022 |work=mibiz.com |date=July 5, 2020}}
- The Baltimore district energy system, serving over 30 million square feet of building space, including Walters Art Museum and Mercy Medical Center.{{cite news |title=Vicinity Energy Provides Green Steam to Walters Art Museum |url=https://www.vicinityenergy.us/press-releases/vicinity-energy-provides-green-steam-to-walters-art-museum-under-new-20-year-contract |work=Vicinity |date=3 March 2021}}{{cite news |title=Vicinity Extends District Energy Contract with Mercy Medical Center |url=https://www.vicinityenergy.us/press-releases/vicinity-energy-extends-20-year-district-energy-contract-mercy-medical-center |access-date=26 January 2022 |work=Vicinity |date=30 March 2021}}
- The Atlantic Station chilled water system, serving 4.7 million square feet of building space in Atlanta.
- The Trenton district energy system, serving 12 million square feet of building space.
Later acquisitions:
- Vicinity also owns and operates Washington D.C.'s the Watergate complex's Watergate Energy Collaborative Utility system, which was acquired in June 2020.{{cite news |title=Vicinity Acquires Central Energy Plant Serving Watergate Complex |url=https://www.vicinityenergy.us/press-releases/vicinity-energy-announcing-watergate |work=Vicinity |date=17 June 2020}}
- In Morgantown, West Virginia, Vicinity owns and operates West Virginia University's district steam system, acquired in July 2020.{{cite news |title=Vicinity Acquires District Energy System Serving Morgantown |url=https://www.vicinityenergy.us/press-releases/vicinity-energy-announcing-uwv-morgantown |access-date=26 January 2022 |work=Vicinity |date=6 July 2020}}
Decarbonization progress
In April 2022, The Boston Globe reported Vicinity was launching eSteam™, a first-of-its-kind innovation in the United States designed to rapidly decarbonize the highest source of emissions in commercial buildings.{{Cite web |date=April 7, 2022 |title=Vineyard Wind investor branching out |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/04/07/business/vineyard-wind-investor-branching-out/ |access-date=2022-04-15 |website=The Boston Globe |language=en-US}} The company became the first in the U.S. to electrify its operations, offering renewable thermal energy by installing electric boilers, industrial-scale heat pumps, and thermal storage at its central facilities starting in Boston and Cambridge, with its other facilities around the country to follow.{{Cite web |date=2022-04-12 |title=Vicinity Energy Launches Carbon-free Renewable Energy Technology in Boston |url=https://bostonrealestatetimes.com/vicinity-energy-launches-carbon-free-renewable-energy-technology-in-boston/ |access-date=2022-04-15 |website=Boston Real Estate Times |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |author= |date=2022-04-07 |title=Vicinity Energy Launches ESteam to Decarbonize Commercial Buildings |url=https://www.environmentalleader.com/2022/04/vicinity-energy-launches-esteam-to-decarbonize-commercial-buildings/ |access-date=2022-04-15 |website=Environment + Energy Leader |language=en-US}} The company is committed to reaching net zero carbon emissions across all of its operations by 2050{{Cite web |title=Clean Energy Future |url=https://www.vicinityenergy.us/clean-energy-future |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=Vicinity |language=en-US}} or sooner.
In April, 2023, Vicinity Energy and announced a partnership with the Augsburg, Germany-based organization MAN Energy Solutions to collaborate in developing low-temperature source heat pump systems for steam generation. Vicinity plans to install an industrial-scale heat pump complex at its Cambridge facility, and once installed, it will be powered by renewable electricity to harvest energy from the Charles River safely and efficiently, returning it to a lower temperature so as not to harm the river’s environment.{{Cite web |date=2023-04-05 |title=Vicinity and MAN Energy Partner on Industrial-Scale Heat Pump |url=https://www.vicinityenergy.us/press-releases/vicinity-energy-and-man-energy-solutions-partner-to-install-industrial-scale-heat-pump |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=Vicinity |language=en-US}}
In November 2023, Vicinity announced the arrival of a 42MW industrial-scale electric boiler{{Cite web |date=2023-11-28 |title=Vicinity Energy Announces Arrival of 42MW Electric Boiler |url=https://www.vicinityenergy.us/press-releases/vicinity-energy-steams-ahead-to-sustainable-future-with-arrival-of-42mw-electric-boiler-in-cambridge-mass |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=Vicinity |language=en-US}} at the Kendall Square facility in Cambridge. The electrode boiler was provided by Precision Boilers ([https://www.thermon.com Thermon]). After passing a factory acceptance test, the boiler was delivered to our Kendall facility to be prepared for installation. Once operational, the boiler will enable the immediate production of eSteam™, Vicinity’s award-winning carbon-free thermal energy product{{Cite web |date=2023-12-12 |title=Vicinity Recognized with Chamber of Commerce Visionary Award |url=https://www.vicinityenergy.us/press-releases/vicinity-energy-recognized-by-cambridge-chamber-of-commerce-for-esteam |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=Vicinity |language=en-US}}
Leadership team
- William DiCroce, president and CEO
- Kevin Hagerty, deputy CEO and president{{Cite web |title=Who We Are {{!}} Vicinity Energy |url=https://www.vicinityenergy.us/who-we-are |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=Vicinity |language=en-US}}
- Rob Arendell, general counsel{{Cite web |title=Who We Are {{!}} Vicinity Energy |url=https://www.vicinityenergy.us/who-we-are |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=Vicinity |language=en-US}}
- Pamela Clark, interim chief commercial officer{{Cite web |title=Who We Are {{!}} Vicinity Energy |url=https://www.vicinityenergy.us/who-we-are |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=Vicinity |language=en-US}}
- Bill Fahey, chief operating officer{{Cite web |title=Who We Are {{!}} Vicinity Energy |url=https://www.vicinityenergy.us/who-we-are |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=Vicinity |language=en-US}}
- Ryan Gerlach, senior vice president, human resources{{Cite web |title=Who We Are {{!}} Vicinity Energy |url=https://www.vicinityenergy.us/who-we-are |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=Vicinity |language=en-US}}
- John Gibson, chief technical officer{{Cite web |title=Who We Are {{!}} Vicinity Energy |url=https://www.vicinityenergy.us/who-we-are |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=Vicinity |language=en-US}}
- Brian Mueller, chief development officer{{Cite web |title=Who We Are {{!}} Vicinity Energy |url=https://www.vicinityenergy.us/who-we-are |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=Vicinity |language=en-US}}
- Matt O'Malley, chief sustainability officer{{cite news |title=Boston City Council President Matt O'Malley Joins Vicinity as Chief Sustainability Officer |url=https://www.vicinityenergy.us/press-releases/boston-city-council-president-matt-omalley-joins-vicinity-as-chief-sustainability-officer |access-date=26 January 2022 |work=Vicinity |date=3 December 2021}}
- Kevin Walsh, chief financial officer{{Cite web |title=Who We Are {{!}} Vicinity Energy |url=https://www.vicinityenergy.us/who-we-are |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=Vicinity |language=en-US}}
References
Category:American companies established in 2020
Category:Electric power companies of the United States
{{US-energy-company-stub}}