U North Carolina System Avoids Over $900M in Utility Costs
The fourth annual University of North Carolina Energy Leadership Challenge revealed that the state's universities and colleges have cumulatively avoided over $749 million in energy costs and over $158 million in water costs as of the 2013-14 academic year.
Dickinson College Energy Efficiency Projects Earn Over $75K in Rebates
Thanks to the state of Pennsylvania incentives to lower power usage through Act 129, the college’s climate action plan projects have brought in $75,000 in rebates. Most recently it received a check for $47,000 for installing motion sensors in all laboratories of one of its science buildings.
SUNY Fredonia Installs Solar Panels
The recently installed solar panels at the university's College Lodge will trim electricity consumption and aid in student learning. The array is expected to save $1,750 annually on utility costs and produce approximately 70 percent of the total electricity needs of the lodge.
College of the Sequoias to Complete 893KW Solar System
In an effort to minimize energy costs, the newly announced 893-kilowatt photovoltaic system is expected to deliver an estimated 25-year savings of approximately $6.4 million. Two installations comprise the 893kW system, one parking lot shade canopy at 285kW and the other is a ground-mounted, 632kW system covering 3.3 acres.
U West England Tests Urine-to-Energy Project
(U.K.): Led by the university's Bristol BioEnergy Center, urine is used as a biofuel that generates electricity to light up urinals. The technology, tested at a music festival, is being developed to improve lives in refugee camps set up in areas suffering the impacts of environmental disaster, war zones, and areas without sanitation or electricity infrastructure.
Bowdoin College Earns EPA Recognition for Reducing Emissions
The college was recently named a 2015 winner of the Energy Star Combined Heat and Power Award by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA commended the college for high operating efficiencies on its combined heat and power system, which provides space heating and hot water for 56 buildings totaling 1.4 million square feet, and saving the college $138,000 a year.
Towson U Honored by Energy Department for Reductions
The university's Better Building Challenge goal to reduce usage 20 percent by 2020 and 13 percent reduction since 2010 was lauded by the U.S. Department of Energy at the recently held Better Buildings Challenge Summit.
Pennsylvania State U to Participate in Emergency Electricity Reduction Test
The university will soon request that all campus employees and students reduce the overall electrical load for one hour. The objective of the program is to protect the day-to-day electric grid reliability to help avoid blackouts. If successful, the university will receive compensation proportional to the load drop, and those funds will be used to support additional energy conservation projects.
Florida International U Collaborates on 1.6MW Solar Power Research Operation
The university and Florida Power & Light Company recently agreed to build a commercial-scale, 1.6-megawatt solar electric facility that will both generate electricity for 4.8 million customers and serve as an research operation. The project involves the installation of more than 5,700 solar panels on 23 canopy-like structures.
U Illinois Hosts Energy Boot Camp
In its fifth year, the university's Summer Institute on Sustainability and Energy held a workshop that included energy-focused lectures, panel discussions, site visits, networking events and collaborative projects that give participants the opportunity to create a real-world solution through an intense project that addresses the scientific, economic, business and policy side of implementation.
Three Schools Cutting Annual Energy Costs by Over $5M
With assistance from National Grid and GreenerU, Clark University, College of the Holy Cross and Worcester Polytechnic Institute are collaboratively participating in an initiative that encourages energy conservation, carbon reduction measures, and campaigns involving behavior change and are estimated to generate approximately $5 to $6 million in cost avoidance over the next five years.
U Utah Wins Accolades from EPA
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized the university as a top school for green power purchasing in its College and University Green Power Challenge. The university ranked eighth in the nation by purchasing 85,926,100 kilowatt-hours of renewable energy.
U Chichester to Install Renewable Energy to Meet Goals
(U.K.): In an effort to reduce overall carbon emissions by 43 percent by 2020, solar panels will be installed on the student union by a community energy cooperative, which encourages cost sharing in renewable technologies.
Georgia Tech Initiates Campus Energy Program
The new Smart Energy Campus Program allows university researchers to obtain and analyze energy systems data aided by modeling and simulation tools to evaluate and optimize different energy systems on the university's campus. The project is designed to save labor hours, resources and money by quickly identifying buildings that have unusually high energy usage.
U California Berkeley, MIT & U Chicago Partner for Energy Study
The new alliance just received a $5 million research grant from the California Energy Commission to test an energy management system at 100 factories throughout the state. The goal is to provide reliable evidence on whether giving factories real-time data and analysis about their energy use spurs them to reduce waste and save power.
North Carolina State U Increases Research Capacity With Solar Panels
The latest investments in the university's research facilities are soaking up the sun. Nearly 100 solar panels generating approximately 29,000-kilowatt hours of electricity annually were installed in April and are expected to produce energy for at least 25 years. A time lapse video shows the installation.
Eastern Washington U Hosts Water & Energy Conservation Competition
The university's Housing and Residential Life Department recently completed its successful three-week Water and Energy Conservation Competition among all eight residence halls. Designed as an awareness and educational program for reducing water and energy use within the residence halls, its message was that conservation helps to make the world a better place.
Northwestern U Becomes EPA Green Power Purchaser
Through a partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the university substantially increased its commitment to renewables, now purchasing renewable energy certificates (RECs) equivalent to 50 percent of total electricity usage totaling 122,000-megawatt hours.
U Northern Iowa Discusses Ethics of Energy Production
With the understanding that energy production effects everyone, and ethical issues arise through the process, the recently held gathering of students and the public addressed concerns about how the U.S. will meet future energy needs, economic effects, environmental impacts, legal aspects, agricultural viewpoints, and employment prospects.
Skidmore College Cuts Ribbon at Historical Micro-Hydro Facility
The college's most recent renewable energy project is a historical micro-hydro facility built in the early 1800s along an existing fault line at Chittenden Falls, NY. This facility produces bout 18 percent of the college's electricity needs, and will serve as an academic classroom. Photo Credit: Patrick Cashin
Five Universities Team Up for Conservation Event
The University of Kansas, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, University of Toledo, Pennsylvania State, and the University of Texas at Austin will participate in the second Campus Lights Out event on April 24, 2015. Campus Lights Out is a joint conservation endeavor, combining the efforts of each university’s conservation program in order to save energy and resources.
Michigan State U to Stop Burning Coal
In a move that will reduce emissions at its T.B. Simon Power Plant and significantly advance its Energy Transition Plan, the university is taking steps to stop burning coal by the end of 2016, with a majority of coal purchasing and burning ending in 2015.
Stanford U Transitions to Efficient Heat Recovery System
The Stanford Energy System Innovations (SESI) system helps the university transition from a 100 percent fossil-fuel-based CHP plant to grid-sourced electricity and a more efficient electric heat recovery system. This system is anticipated to reduce campus emissions approximately 80 percent from current levels and save 15 percent of campus potable water.
Northampton CC Plans Wind Turbine Project
The college is now acquiring bids for the installation of an on-campus 10-kilowatt wind turbine to sit atop a 73-foot monopole. The electricity-producing machine will be connected to the school’s electrical system in its electrical wiring laboratory.
U Kentucky Breaks Ground on 30KW Solar Array
Tied into a campus building, the 30-kilowatt electricity-producing system, projected to produce approximately 1.5 percent of the buildings' needs, will provide a learning opportunity for students and the public through an online solar production tracking system.
Leicestershire College to Install Biomass Boiler
(U.K.): In an effort to avoid 45,000 pounds ($66,000) in utility costs and reduce associated carbon emissions, the university's new boiler system will use wood chips in order to reduce its dependence on oil.
Missouri State U to Install Solar Bike Parking Canopy
(U.S.): The university's Student Government Association will be installing the new renewable energy electricity structure, funded through the green fund, to decrease the university's dependence on coal and provide a covered shelter for bicycles.
U New Mexico Connects Solar Electric System
(U.S.): The new photovoltaic system, generating approximately 70 percent of the campus' electricity, enables the university to use cost avoidance savings to support future renewable energy projects on campus.
U Zamboanga Partners for 120KW Solar Installation
(Philippines): As as part of the university’s corporate social responsibility on the environment, the recently signed memorandum of agreement indicates the 120-kilowatt system will be installed by late summer 2015.
Visvesvaraya Technological U to Install Renewable Energy
(India): Despite some solar electricity in residential areas, the university plans to install photovoltaic systems on academic buildings at five of its campuses in order to reduce the capital expense of electricity and to supply energy to adjoining villages.
Dean College Completes Energy Efficiency Project
The college's newly completed project in seven campus buildings, including residence halls, consists of mechanical and lighting measures, and behavioral measures to engage building occupants.
Elon U Breaks Ground on Solar Farm
Projected to be completed in spring 2015, the 3-megawatt photovoltaic array, supplying electricity to Duke Energy, is being installed near the university's Environmental Center, a research facility for the university's academic programs that includes a greenhouse, agricultural plots, responsible architecture studio, and a composting facility.
Rochester IT to Complete 2MW Solar Farm
With expected completion in spring 2015, the 2-megawatt photovoltaic array will be connected directly to the institution's electricity grid, helping to meet peak electricity demand by producing roughly 3.2 percent of the campus' total consumption.
EPA Recognizes Chevy for University and College Partnerships
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently awarded Chevrolet with its Climate Leadership Award for Innovative Partnerships for it's Chevrolet Clean Energy Campus Campaign that enables participating campuses to create a new source of funding for large-scale energy efficiency efforts. The funding comes from carbon credits from the voluntary carbon market. Participating institutions include Ball State University, Valencia College, Portland State University, Spelman College, University of Illinois at Chicago, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Boston University, Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Grand Valley State University and Southern Oregon University.
Northern Arizona U Heats Air With the Sun
In an effort to decrease fossil fuel use and create a culture of sustainability, the newly installed solar thermal air system is projected to reduce carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by three tons per year.
St. Olaf College Acquire Solar Power for Carbon Neutrality
The college recently announced plans to lease 90 acres of land for the development of 15 one-megawatt solar electric arrays. The college will acquire 40 percent of the project's output. This along with 10 percent from another project enables the college to achieve 100 percent carbon-free electrical power.
North Central College Invests in LED Lighting
A $200,000 investment allowed the university to recently complete the light-emitting diode (LED) retrofit in three buildings, avoiding $35,000 annually in electricity costs. The new lighting includes occupancy sensors and dimming features.
Cornell U Installs LED Lights in Athletic Centers
(U.S.): Contributing to the school's climate sustaining efforts, the Department of Athletics and Physical Education have begun installing light-emitting diode (LED) lightbulbs in all campus athletic facilities. The project is estimated to save more than 1.7 million-kilowatt hours of electricity and preventing about 450 tons of carbon dioxide annually, avoiding nearly $136,000 in utility bills.
Five Universities Participate in 'Solarize U' Program
(U.S.): Eastern Connecticut State University, Southern Connecticut State University, University of New Haven, University of Connecticut, Wesleyan University and Yale University are now participating in the State of Connecticut program to offer faculty, staff and students' families the opportunity to compare online competitive bids from pre-screened installers of solar energy systems.
U Asia and the Pacific Installs 300KW Solar System
(Philippines): Helping to reduce energy costs and its carbon footprint, the university's new 300-kilowatt photovoltaic system is supplying electricity to its parking and sports building, and feeding electricity onto the electrical grid.
U Iowa Begins Growing Energy With Biofuels
(U.S.): With the goal of achieving 40 percent renewable energy consumption by 2020, the university will soon be growing a variety of grass that will be harvested and used to supply power, steam and chilled water to the main campus as part of its Biomass Fuel Project, designed to reduce the use of fossil fuels by substituting locally available renewable materials in the main power plant.
Rice U Signs Agreement to Purchase Solar Electricity for One Year
In an effort to better manage energy consumption and spending, a recent one-year agreement with a power company was enacted that allows the university to purchase approximately seven percent of the university's purchased electricity from clean energy at the same rate as fossil fuel-powered electricity.
San Francisco State U Completes Lighting Upgrade
A project spearheaded by students in a management class led to the removal of unnecessary lamps on the second floor of the university's business building over winter break. Electricity consumption of hallway lighting on this floor has decreased 40 percent as a result.
