Search tips:
Morgan encouraged Bill to ask the SSC for funding to do the design work for a rainwater harvesting system for the Hartley Gardens. He said he will talk with Matt Edmonson to get an estimate of the cost for the project, so he is ready to reqeust funding when the SSC call for inquiries goes out this fall.
There are native plants throughout the Arboretum and in concentrated paces around the ponds - wetland and mezic. There is also a prairie just south of the Polinatarium, maintained by John Marlin and volunteers.
Eliana Brown provided the following update.
National Renewable Energy Laboratories conducted research into solar land use requirements, but were unable to find a comprehensive evaluation from the literature. NREL created this report to analyze data related to land use in large solar arrays. The paragraph below explains the efficiency of land by type of solar project, and the link takes you directly to the report.
Generation-weighted averages for total area requirements range from about 3 acres/GWh/yr for CSP towers and CPV installations to 5.5 acres/GWh/yr for small 2-axis flat panel PV power plants. Across all solar technologies, the total area generation-weighted average is 3.5 acres/GWh/yr with 40% of power plants within 3 and 4 acres/GWh/yr. For direct-area requirements the generation-weighted average is 2.9 acres/GWh/yr, with 49% of power plants within 2.5 and 3.5 acres/GWh/yr. On a capacity basis, the total-area capacity-weighted average is 8.9 acres/MWac, with 22% of power plants within 8 and 10 acres/MWac. For direct land-use requirements, the capacity-weighted average is 7.3 acre/MWac, with 40% of power plants within 6 and 8 acres/MWac. Other published estimates of solar direct land use generally fall within these ranges.
The Solar Farm Purchase Agreement is waiting on approval from the State Purchasing Officer (SPO). After the Board of Trustees approval in November 2012, the project went to the SPO's office. It is now under review and Facilities & Services is working to answer any SPO questions.
The Campus Bicycle Shop seeks to hire 2 part-time student employees to assist the Shop Manager. The position would involve duties such as helping members/users of the space with their needs, repairing bicycles, assisting in organizing events, shop organization, teaching bicycle repair, assisting with bicycle-related classes, and other duties as assigned.
The Campus Bicycle Shop – a collaboration between the University of Illinois and The Bicycle Project of Urbana-Champaign – is dedicated to empowering individuals with knowledge about how to repair and maintain bicycles. This is a hands on, educational space meant to provide knowledge and experience about fixing bicycles, not a "drop it off for repair" bike shop. The Campus Shop provides tools, parts, refurbished bikes for sale, educational classes, and dedicated volunteers to help members and the larger community with their bicycle needs. Membership in The Bike Project at Urbana-Champaign is valid at both the Campus Shop and the Downtown Urbana Shop.
Requirements: An interest in or passion for bicycling and sustainable transportation is required. Illinois is an Affirmative Action /Equal Opportunity Employer and welcomes individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and ideas who embrace and value diversity and inclusivity. (www.inclusiveillinois.illinois.edu).
To apply, submit a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three references via email to: jmroedl@illinois.edu. Please include "Student Assistant Position" in the subject line. Please include a copy of weekly class schedule and any other time commitments.
Skills: Previous bicycle repair experience, membership in The Bike Project of Urbana Champaign, and familiarity with the Campus Shop would be preferred but are not required. Familiarity with social media, college campuses, and educational work would be helpful. Preference will also be given to applicants eligible for Federal Work Study.
Ikenberry Commons Res Hall 2 will have a green roof. Plant materials are being brought in this week.
The Illinois Biodiesel Initiative is considering a bioreactor in a trailer as a solution to their location quandry. They are looking into the power connection needs and potential siting locations for a 6x10 or 7x14 foot trailer. The vendor they have spoken with is Verde Biofuel, and they are looking for the ability to process 100 gallons per day with 240 volt 30 amp service. If needed, they could build the system to work with 120 volt service, but it is not preferred.
Facilities staff (Robert Halverson, Morgan Johnston, and Paul Foote) met to discuss the engineering requirements and potential site locations. Morgan requested additional information from IBI about water supply and waste water needs.
From: Milbrandt, Janet
Sent: Monday, July 01, 2013 1:33 PM
To: Dempsey, John Garrett
Cc: Johnston, Morgan B
Subject: RE: solar farm
Justin met with Steve Rotello on Friday, 6/30/2013. We are meeting later today to discuss the results.
Janet.
From: Dempsey, John Garrett
Sent: Monday, July 01, 2013 1:26 PM
To: Milbrandt, Janet
Cc: Johnston, Morgan B
Subject: solar farm
Can you provide me with and updated status of this important procurement.
F&S Engineers provide input on solar film technology: "We experienced delamination with these in the past; about 25 years ago. I’d be curious if the adhesives have gotten any better." - John Prince
"Films have come a long way. Like John, I have seen several versions of solar films and have not been impressed with their durability. The newer films and coatings are much better but the effectiveness is still dependent to the quality of installation. The films may have some applications on campus but must be evaluated in terms of cost. The solar transmittance is low enough for me to question whether IHPA would have a problem with our historic buildings. We would also want to avoid a checker board appearance if the product were applied randomly to a building windows. I don’t want to dismiss the product but it does need more investigation." - Fred Hahn
This project seeks to significantly reduce Allerton Park’s net energy usage while, at the same time, promoting clean, renewable energy. This will be done by converting the facility’s most inefficient and outdated heating and cooling system, located within the Gatehouse building, to geothermal heating and cooling. As a U of I entity, Allerton Park strives to lead the way in upholding the University’s climate commitment by proactively encouraging sound and sustainable building principles. As a climate leader, Allerton Park is committed to encouraging alternative energy initiatives, improving energy efficiency, and engaging students in supporting alternative sources of energy.
Campus Bicycle Shop_Funding Award and Acceptance Letter_Signed.pdf
Campus Bicycle Shop_Funding Award and Acceptance Letter.docx CBS Funding Source Breakdown.pdf Fall 2012 Project Status Update Campus Bike Shop.docx Letter of Support FS_Campus Bicycle Shop.pdf LetterofSupportTBPCBS.pdf
SSC_Application_Step 2_CBS.xlsxWhen most people think about clean energy, many just think wind and solar. However, the truth is that with the rapid increase in technology and innovation within the last few decades, the possibilities for renewable energy have increased exponentially. Biodiesel, for instance, is one that many people are not familiar with but should be because it is leading the way in clean fuel production. Biodiesel is a renewable, clean-burning diesel replacement that can be made from a diverse mix of feedstocks including recycled cooking oil, soybean oil, and animal fats.
In addition to the club, the team working on this project found that an education component would be very beneficial to spreading their overarching goals of sustainability across the campus. Because of that, they created a class that students from all disciplines can take and piloted it this semester. The objective of the class competent is to educate students on the project and hopefully increase student and campus involvement in sustainability. I had the opportunity to check out the class earlier this week. I got to see the entire progress that the oil goes through first hand, and it was incredible. The SSC plans to follow up again after they are moved into their permanent location so stay tuned for further progress and innovation updates.UIUC is participating in the development and expansion of biodiesel in many ways. On campus, there is a registered student organization dedicated to it called The Illinois Biodiesel Initiative (IBI). Their primary mission is to produce biodiesel and soap from waste vegetable oil (WVO) collected from campus dining halls in an effort to reduce emissions and promote sustainability on campus. The Student Sustainability Committee initially voted to fund the Illinois Biodiesel Initiative during its 2012-13 funding cycle; however, due IBI being forced out of their old site at the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, SSC funding was put on hold. While they wait for their permanent site in the Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory, IBI is currently running scaled-down production in a space in Roger Adams Laboratory.
In the meantime, aside from the class, there are several other opportunities to get involved with the initiative and in the club. Students can join any of the four subgroups which include production/testing, Soap (production or research), Finance, and Special Projects. They are always looking for new members from all grade levels.
The 5.87 megawatt (MW) Solar Farm will increase the generation of renewable energy on campus and help meet goals outlined in the Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP). The Solar Farm will produce an estimated 7.86 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) the first year or approximately 2% of the electrical demand for the Urbana campus based upon usage projections for fiscal year 2015.
Our spring field day that took place at the end of May was a huge success! Many great collaborations have already evolved out of the conversations that took place among the many visitors that came out.
Check out the video below that summarizes the field day, participants, and the general outreach focus of the WPP Research Site. You can also view our Media page for photos from the field day as well as our other recent activities.
If you missed the spring field day, please join us for one of our summer field days on Friday August 23rd or Saturday August 24th!
CAN'T SEE THE VIDEO? CLICK HERE TO VIEW IT.
Morgan Johnston met with Seth Rients and Luis Rodriguez to hear a presentation about the IMEC waste tracking system. The system could be installed on campus dumpsters, along with corresponding scales on the garbage and recycling trucks. This would be an automated data collection method for tracking the waste stream inputs at a macro level.
