Renewable Energy at CU

For more information about solar energy click here.

Wind | Solar

CU Purchases Wind Power!

In the Spring of 2000, in the largest student voter turnout in University of Colorado history, students voted by a 5 to 1 margin to increase student fees by $1 per semester for 4 years to purchase 2 million kWh of wind power from Public Service Company of Colorado 's Ponnequin wind farm. CU was the first school in the nation to raise students fee to purchase wind power, and has since been used as a model by many other Universities as a way to support renewable energy. In the Spring of 2004, the student government voted to extend and expand the wind purchase, and CU is now purchasing 8.8 million kWh of wind, offsetting 100% of the electricity needs of the 3 student run buildings. This clean, renewable source of energy will lower campus emissions of carbon dioxide by roughly 12 million pounds every year!

 

* Click here for a press release about the initial wind purchase in 2000

* Click here for information about the expansion of the wind purchase. (ms word doc)

* Congressman Mark Udall's Views – In 2001, Udall explains his views on renewable energy in an electronic newsletter and references CU's wind power purchase.

* CU 2000 Wind Power Campaign Summary ( 3.5MB)

* Workbook for a Clean Energy Campus (128K) - Learn about the CU wind purchase, and other campus purchases of green power.

* "Wind Power at the University of Colorado, Boulder " is an article in the May 2001 issue of Declaration, the journal of the University Leaders for a Sustainable Future.

* CU is also a member of EPA's Green Power Partnership's "Green Power Leadership Club".  Click here to read about the Partnernship, and other members.

* Awards: 2003 and 2004 Green Power Leadership Club, EPA 2000 Climate Protection Award, Wirth Chair Award

*For information about how wind technology works, go to the U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Page (http://www.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/wind_how.html)

SOLAR AT CU!

In 2004, we installed CU’s first solar photovoltaic system! It is a 7.5 kW solar system located on the UMC northeast roof. The system provides enough energy to meet 1.5 x the needs of the Environmental Center . We also installed a kiosk in the UMC, next to the Alfred Packard Grill that displays real time energy output of the solar panels. This project was funded by Xcel Energy’s Renewable Energy Trust Fund, UCSU’s Finance Board and money from last year’s energy pledge card campaign.

Solar Panels on the UMC roof

Solar Energy Kiosk in the UMC