Last week I took a tour of the micro-turbines at Astor Wines & Spirits in Greenwich Village, New York. Astor Wines & Spirits generates its own electricity using two natural gas powered Capstone Micro-Turbines to offset the intense energy consumption required for chilling sake and wine, resulting in lower emissions, reduced natural resource depletion and lower energy costs.

The Capstone Turbine Corporation ® is the world’s leading producer of low-emission micro-turbine systems. The entire system, including the two micro-turbines, hot water chiller, large pipes and digital control panels, is located in the storage cellar of Astor Wines & Spirits and takes up about 600-800 SF of floor area.

The benefits of using micro-turbine technology

Electricity, often generated using coal, is the prime cause of CO2 emissions that ultimately lead to global warming, acid rain and urban smog. A micro-turbine system is a clean, reliable and energy efficient alternative for generating electricity.

Similar to a miniature jet engine, micro-turbines are designed to reduce pollutants and greenhouse gases as well as reduce energy costs. Unlike traditional technologies, no coolant or oil is required to lubricate the micro-turbine system, resulting in a cleaner combustion burning process and lower emissions. Furthermore, the higher on-site energy efficiency of micro-turbine technology, such as the ability to capture heat from the exhaust stream, results in a reduction of natural resource use and lower energy costs. Finally, since micro-turbines are designed to operate on a variety of gaseous and liquid fuels, renewable fuels such as methane, a gas emitted from landfills, or clean burning fuels such as natural gas, can be used to power the system.

Capstone Micro-Turbines can help green buildings earn more than a dozen LEED points including up to ten points for Energy & Atmosphere Credit 1, one point for exhaust-driven absorber and up to 4 points if fueled with biogas.