Caterpillar, Toromont Support Hamilton Health Sciences’ Sustainability Initiatives through High-Efficiency Upgrades to Cogeneration Solutions at Three Hospitals

For Worldwide Release: February 1, 2022

DEERFIELD, IL – Caterpillar Inc. today announced that Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) has selected Toromont, the local Cat^® dealer, to supply 13 Cat G3516H natural gas generator sets providing a total of 25.5 MW of power output to update its combined heat and power (CHP) capabilities and substantially reduce its carbon footprint at three hospitals in its network.

Toromont will install, provide systems integration, and commission the solutions selected to fit within current facility floorspaces and supply peak shaving capabilities at Hamilton General Hospital, Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre, and McMaster University Medical Centre, including the McMaster Children’s Hospital.  

The systems are equipped with Cat Connect Remote Asset Monitoring, Caterpillar’s advanced data visualization, reporting, and alert offering. Additionally, Toromont will address uptime guarantees through a 10-year Long-Term Service Agreement (LTSA), which includes regular maintenance at scheduled intervals as well as around-the-clock, on-demand technical support.

Scheduled to begin operating within the next year, the systems will support a series of initiatives to reduce carbon dioxide emissions across all HHS facilities by 50% by 2023. They will also help improve the healthcare system’s energy independence by contributing to a more than 70% reduction in reliance on the local grid.

“We are taking steps to be at the forefront of responsible energy use and conservation,” said Kelly Campbell, vice president of corporate services and capital development for Hamilton Health Sciences. “Minimizing our impact on the environment while ensuring stability in our electrical production and heating system is a wise and sustainable investment in our future and in a greener planet.”

“We are excited that HHS has chosen Toromont as their long-term service and maintenance partner,” said Sandra Dethier, MSc., vice president of power systems for Toromont Cat. “It demonstrates our commitment to supporting the success of our customers in achieving their sustainability goals without sacrificing reliability."

A leading healthcare system that serves more than 300,000 patients per year in southwestern Ontario, Canada, HHS demonstrates its commitment to environmental stewardship through numerous efforts to reduce energy consumption, divert waste from landfills, encourage smart commuting, and support tree-planting and pollinator-friendly spaces. It is a member of Sustainable Hamilton Burlington, the Canadian Coalition for Green Healthcare and the Bay Area Climate Change Council. In June 2021, HHS’s efforts were recognized by Sustainable Hamilton Burlington with awards for Best Sustainability Report and Best Social Initiative.

“The cogeneration systems for HHS have been configured to meet specific customer requirements across several dimensions,” said Thomas Smith, gas segment manager for Caterpillar’s Electric Power division. “While supporting aggressive sustainability goals and reducing energy costs, their high power densities also address ever-increasing energy demands while fitting into current facility footprints, helping to reduce future capital expenditures.”

Cogeneration Capabilities from Caterpillar

Facilities can reduce operating costs by implementing a Cat CHP system or a combined cooling, heat and power (CCHP) system.  Most Cat natural gas-fueled engines can be configured with a CHP or CCHP system to simultaneously generate power for electrical loads while capturing waste heat that can be repurposed as thermal energy for facility processes or heating, ventilation, and cooling requirements.

While the combination of grid power and traditional boilers for thermal energy offers less than 50% energy efficiency, CHP and CCHP systems from Caterpillar can provide total energy efficiencies of up to 90%. This allows customers to save on energy spending, provide autonomy of supply and reduce emissions.

Cat CHP and CCHP systems can deliver a rapid return on investment for a wide range of industrial and commercial facilities, such as manufacturing plants, refineries, regional district heating plants, resorts, shopping malls, high-rise office buildings, universities, data centers, and hospitals.

Cat^® Connect Provides Timely, Valuable Insights into Performance of Power Solutions

Cat Connect Remote Asset Monitoring (RAM) offers the real-time collection and remote monitoring of site performance data across Caterpillar’s product portfolio. Providing data, visualization, reporting, and alerts from anywhere in the world through an easy-to-use web interface or the Cat RAM mobile app, this technology helps operators and Cat dealers track and manage the operation of the system, confirm desired cost savings, flag potential problems, perform remote troubleshooting, offer long-term archives of site performance history, and identify opportunities for further operational or system enhancement.

Cat Connect Remote Asset Monitoring can monitor and analyze more than 200 key performance indicators of the engine and electrical system, and it can be configured to use a satellite, cellular, or local network connection to deliver intelligence to key customer contacts and Cat dealer technicians.

Caterpillar delivers innovative power systems engineered for durability, reliability, and value. The company offers worldwide product support, with parts and services packaged in customer value agreements available through the Cat authorized service and dealer network. In addition, dealer technicians are trained to provide a comprehensive range of maintenance and services that help customers optimize the total cost of ownership of Cat equipment.

For more information, visit www.cat.com/chp or e-mail Electric_Power@cat.com.