University of California Sustainability Policies and Best Practices
Renewable Energy
The University of California Clean Energy Standard sets an overall goal of minimizing any net increase in fossil fuel consumption by the university even while building an entire new campus at UC Merced and overall adding some $7 billion plus in new buildings throughout the UC system.
Universities around the country have become leaders in purchasing renewable energy [pdf attached] to move our economy away from over-reliance on fossil fuels and nuclear power. The UC committed to a goal of procuring 20 percent of its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2017. The UC went from 0 percent renewable energy purchases in 2003 to 1 percent in 2004 and now to 15 percent in 2005 thanks to this new policy. UC’s purchase ranks as the highest renewable energy purchase of any university in the country and its combined purchase with the California State University system also ranks as the 7th largest voluntary renewable energy purchase of any institution in the country.
Renewable energy can also be produced on the campuses themselves. In addition to the goal for purchased renewable energy, the UC Clean Energy Standard also sets a goal of meeting 25 percent of the peak energy demand for all those new buildings by siting renewable power projects in existing or new facilities. This is equivalent to about 10 megawatts of local renewable power by 2014.
UC campuses are already off to a good start, as evidenced by the two case studies below.
Case Studies:
Solar Photovoltaics
UC Berkeley students fund solar PV array on MLK Student Union building
Campus Solar Site Assessments – UC Berkeley graduate students conducted a solar site assessment (pdf) of the UC Berkeley campus to evaluate the potential for rooftop solar photovoltaic systems on campus.
Landfill Gas
UCLA uses gas captured from a neighboring landfill to partly power the campus co-generation power plant. Read more in this landfill gas best practice case study (pdf).
Outside Resources:
Education for Sustainability Western Network has an Energy and Climate Working Group.
To join the e-mail discussion send an email to the list.
National Wildlife Federation’s Campus Ecology Program – Energy
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