Energy User and Renewable Energy Generation on Campus
On-campus electricity generation and/or energy production for heat
and cooling are often among the biggest "culprits" indicated in a
campus GHG emissions inventory. Consequently, this category of
emissions can offer major opportunities for reduction, usually falling
within three general areas:
Fossil Fuel switching: An obvious
option is to switch to a fuel that emits fewer greenhouse gases; for
example, switching from burning coal to natural gas for on-campus
electricity production, or switching from oil to gas as a heat supply.
Biomass:
We use fuel oil (#2 or #6) for heating, steam generation (power for
various uses), and diesel-powered equipment and transportation. A
fuel-switching option is biodiesel, which can be a carbon-neutral fuel.
It can be used in place of #2 oil or diesel fuel, and can be purchased
from distributors or created from waste cooking oils from your campus.
Wood waste or other organic material can have net-zero carbon
emissionsl.
Alternative energy:
Installing wind, solar or other renewable, emission-free energy
applications to use for campus power needs can also be a powerful way
to reduce emissions - and educate.
Resources
Section 2.3 of the Climate Campaign’s “Campus Climate Action Packet” gives instructions for getting a solar or wind installation on your campus.
Clean Air-Cool Planet
(Feb 17, 2005)
Clean Energy Action provides additional resources and links on all things “green energy.”
Clean Air-Cool Planet
(Feb 17, 2005)
The national Student Environmental Action Coalition’s“ Youth Power Shift” campaign offers a network of advisors with technical expertise on clean power issues, including renewable energy installations.
Clean Air-Cool Planet
(Feb 17, 2005)
Case Studies and Examples
A three-year research project using a PV installation in an extensive, real-life, residential environment is now under way at Fairfield University. Design and development studies will be conducted using a grid-connected PV installation with a set of 880 solar roof shingles covering a roof area of approximately 3,000 sq.ft. in a townhouse with eight student apartments. Read the full description.
Clean Air-Cool Planet
(Feb 24, 2005)
The Tufts Climate Initiative focuses mostly on energy-efficiency projects, where the largest reductions can be made. Yet, we have also installed some solar power:
Sofia Gordon Hall, a new residence hall currently under construction, will feature a large solar voltaic system.
Fairmont House is a small residential house with two solar panels (250 Watts each). The two solar panels cost Tufts $3,000 and produce about 700 kWh of electricity annually.
Schmalz House is a
small residential house that was retrofitted as an energy-efficiency
model. It features, among many other things, a solar hot water heater.
Sarah Creighton
(Apr 18, 2005)
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