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Project Updates for collection: Renewable Energy Projects

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  2. EGen001 Wind PPA recommendation - Assessment with all comments

    Associated Project(s): 
    iCAP Working Group (iWG)
    eGen Recommendations Summary
    Wind Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)

    The iCAP Working Group (iWG) met on August 28th, 2014, to discuss the EGen001 Wind PPA recommendation, and they started the assessment for this recommendation. 

    See the attached file for complete assessment with comments from all the iWG members.

    See SWATeam recommendation EGen001 Wind PPA here.

    Attached Files: 

  3. EGen001 Wind PPA recommendation - Transmittal to the unit

    Associated Project(s): 
    Wind Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)
    iCAP Working Group (iWG)
    eGen Recommendations Summary

    The SWATeam recommendation complete with the iWG Assessment with comments from all the iWG members was transmitted to the Facilities & Services on August 28th, 2014.

    For any future updates on this item, please visit the Wind Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) project.

    See iWG Assessment for EGen001 Wind PPA here.

    See SWATeam recommendation EGen001 Wind PPA here.

  6. resource about using wood for energy

    Associated Project(s): 
    Biomass use on Campus

    There are some environmental advocates who oppose using wood chips for energy. 

    This YouTube video includes the following description: "Forests are also one of our best defenses against global warming, absorbing vast amounts of carbon pollution out of the air. But power companies are increasingly proposing to burn whole trees for energy. Trees are not a "carbon neutral" fuel source. Just like coal, when trees are burned in power plants, the carbon they have accumulated over long periods of time is released into the atmosphere. Unlike coal, however, trees will continue to absorb carbon if left alone. So burning forests for energy not only emits a lot of carbon, but also degrades our carbon sinks. This video shows what happens to the balance of carbon between and forest and the atmosphere when we burn forests to produce energy instead of leaving them standing to continue to absorb and store carbon. Burning forests for electricity is dirty and destructive!" 

    It is shared by the Natural Resources Defence Council.

  7. Joyce Mast coordinating RFP for the rooftop solar installation

    Associated Project(s): 
    ECE Rooftop Solar PVs

    Joyce Mast is coordinating a Request for Purchase to buy and install the solar panels that will go on top of the ECE Building.  The building already has the structural supports for the panels, so the purchase will include the racks, PV panels, and inverters.  Joyce is working with ECE's administrative office, the Purchasing Department, and F&S Capital Programs to facilitate this RFP.

  8. EGen001 Wind PPA recommendation - Submittal

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Generation, Purchasing, & Distribution (eGen) SWATeam
    eGen Recommendations Summary
    Wind Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)

    The eGen SWATeam submitted a recommendation to the iWG stating, "We strongly endorse pursuing Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with one or more Wind Farms as soon as possible. Given current market conditions, we believe that a PPA with one or more Wind Farms presents a great opportunity to purchase renewable energy in support of the campus iCAP targets."

    See attached the SWATeam recommendation EGen001 Wind PPA complete with comments from all the eGen SWATeam members.

    Attached Files: 

  9. DCEO grant brings building closer to net-zero goal

    Associated Project(s): 
    ECE Rooftop Solar PVs
    DCEO Grants

    The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) has awarded a grant of about $250,000 to the Electrical and Computer Engineering Building Solar Panels Project.

    The DCEO grant brings the project’s funding to its goal of $900,000. “This award gives us the final piece that will let us do the solar panels on the building itself,” said Professor Philip Krein, chairman of the ECE Building Committee. ECE ILLINOIS is still seeking funding for the large photovoltaic array that will be placed on the nearby parking structure.

    That array’s power generation, added to power generation from the panels on the building and energy savings from the building’s energy-efficient design, will bring the building’s net-zero energy goal in reach. You can donate a solar panel through the Buy a Bit building wish list.

    • The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) has awarded a grant of about $250,000 for the Electrical and Computer Engineering Building photovoltaic array.
    • The project for the panels on the ECE Building is now fully funded. Funding is still being sought for the large array on the nearby parking garage that will bring the building's net-zero energy goal in reach.
    • The photovoltaic array on the ECE Building will be installed this fall.
    • See the full ECE article for more information.

  10. Allerton Park Solar Array-Phase II

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Power on Campus
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    Allerton Park already has a solar array located near its Visitors’ Center. The second phase of the Allerton Park Solar Array project involves working with a Learning In Community (LINC) class to construct a second ground-mounted solar recharge array. This second phase builds on the success of the existing array with the adjacent construction of an additional 60 panels. The design of the Phase 2 array utilizes an innovative floating foundation system that allows for portability of the array if necessary. The total array provides 14.7kW of peak power, which translates to a projected annual output of 14,653 kWh(about 15-20% of total apCAP solar goals). Power at the panel and array level can be monitored remotely and be publicly viewable via an online dashboard which displays the impact of the solar power contribution in terms of energy equivalents: gallons of gasoline, light bills, tons of coal, barrels of crude oil, and planted trees.

    Attached Files: 

  11. New ECE Building Project Solar Panels

    Associated Project(s): 
    ECE Rooftop Solar PVs
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The new Electrical and Computer Engineering building (New ECE building) will be operational starting the fall semester of 2014, and will be a unique green building on the University of Illinois campus. It is designed to be the most energy efficient engineering building in the world and is targeting LEED platinum certification, the highest rating for efficiency. With the full planned solar energy complement, the building is projected to achieve net zero energy status. The facility will be one of the two largest net-zero energy buildings in the United States. It will be a facility that supports all its own energy needs – on average over each year – leaving no carbon or fossil consumption footprint. Although the ECE building design itself is intended to achieve LEED Platinum certification, the energy objectives go far beyond this rating to true energy sustainability.

    Attached Files: 

  12. Element House at the Energy Farm

    Associated Project(s): 
    Illinois Solar Decathlon
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The 2007 Solar Decathlon house is coming home to Champaign Urbana to a permanent foundation at the University Energy Farm. Funds have been secured for its transportation, placement on a permanent foundation, utility hook ups, and inspection of current systems to ensure safe working order. Funding from the Student Sustainability Committee will defray the costs of upgrading the systems and bringing the house up to code. To meet these goals, the solar array will need to be redesigned and reconstructed; the electrical, lighting, and HVAC systems will need to be updated; and new monitoring equipment will need to be installed. Ultimately, the goal of this project is to have a fully functioning net negative energy residential model home. Student groups are assuming the responsibility for all design, construction, and monitoring tasks as they are able.

    Attached Files: 

  13. Field to Fuel-Biomass

    Associated Project(s): 
    Biomass Boiler at the Energy Farm
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    This project involves purchasing and installing a biomass boiler at the Energy Farm, in order to heat a research greenhouse using Miscanthus that is grown on the Energy Farm. The hope for the project is that a successful pilot will pave the way toward expanded use of biomass heating on our campus in order to reduce our campus greenhouse gas emissions.

    Attached Files: 

  14. SECS Re_home landscaping

    Associated Project(s): 
    Students for Environmental Concerns (SECS)
    Illinois Solar Decathlon
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    In 2011, students at faculty from the University of Illinois develop the Re_Home for the Solar Decathlon Competition. As a result of a new landscaping and beautification plan, the Re_Home has found a permanent place on campus. In maintaining a “sustainability ideology”, the landscaping plans for this project are geared toward sustainability with the use of native, low maintenance plants as well as vegetables, edible herbs, and fruit trees. The Re_Home is an exemplary embodiment of sustainability and its permanent home will serve as a showcase in sustainability education.

    Attached Files: 

  15. House Bill 2427

    Associated Project(s): 
    Use Clean Power
    Funding for Sustainability

    House Bill 2427, once signed by the Governor, will authorize a $30M renewable energy fund in Illinois.


    Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act to provide for a supplemental procurement process for the procurement of renewable energy certificates from new or existing photovoltaics. Authorizes the expenditure of up to $30,000,000 from the Illinois Power Agency Renewable Energy Resources Fund for that purpose. Provides that renewable energy certificates from new photovoltaics that are procured pursuant to the supplemental procurement process must be procured from devices installed by a person who meets certain qualifications. Requires public hearings. Provides for a procurement administrator, a procurement monitor, pre-qualification of bidders, establishment of standard contract terms, benchmarks, and contingencies in the event of a default by a supplier. Effective immediately.

  16. F&S receives Wind PPA recommendation

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Generation, Purchasing, & Distribution (eGen) SWATeam
    Wind Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)

    Evan:

    We contacted UA. They're supposed to give us a RFP schedule next week. That should give us a better idea of the timeline.

    -Al Stratman

    From: Evan DeLucia [mailto:delucia@life.illinois.edu]
    Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2014 5:39 PM
    To: McCall, Benjamin
    Cc: Stratman, Allan
    Subject: SWAT report on energy generation

    Ben,

    In the absence of a fully formulated SWAT process - iWG and the Sustainability Council have yet to be formed - I forwarded the May 2014 position paper from the 'energy generation' team directly to Al Stratman for consideration.

    Under the SWAT process, the teams should be... "developing and recommending specific actions or initiatives the campus should under take to meet iCAP targets..." The energy generation SWAT did a nice job of recommending a specific action that would help meet our targets.

    To paraphrase, Al responded...

    • the concept of a PPA is meritorious and has potential
    • F&S is evaluating this plan
    • some of the issues that need to be considered include pricing options, length of agreement constraints, REC pricing alternatives
    • F&S is working to obtain hard data on pricing and other details before moving forward

    I've taken the liberty of copying Al to be sure I didn't misrepresent his response to me.

    Al, do you have any idea of what might be a reasonable time frame would be for completing an analysis of the feasibility, costs, and benefits of purchasing wind power for campus?

    Cheers,

    Evan

  17. Recommendation: Wind PPA

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Generation, Purchasing, & Distribution (eGen) SWATeam
    Wind Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)

    Here is the first recommendation from the Energy Generation SWATeam.

    "We strongly endorse obtaining Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with one or more Wind Farms as soon as possible.  It is unlikely that a better opportunity to purchase renewable energy will present itself in the foreseeable future."

    Attached Files: 

  18. The Sustainability of the Photovoltaic Solar Panels on the Roof of Business Instructional Facility

    Associated Project(s): 
    BIF Rooftop Solar PVs
    NRES 285: Sustainability Metrics and Evaluation Techniques

    The photovoltaic panels on LEED Platinum certified Business Instructional Facility (BIF) rooftop harvests solar radiation as a clean renewable energy source for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign facility. The solar system has a combined maximum output of 40 kilowatt per hour (kWh), and has an annual production of 60,000 kWh. The system is expected to produce approximately eight percent of the building’s total electricity demand. However, solar panels require unobstructed access to solar radiation for most or all of the day to be effective

    Attached Files: 

  19. Sustainability Assessment of small-scale Outdoor Wood Burning Appliances

    Associated Project(s): 
    Green Allerton Wood-fired Boiler
    NRES 285: Sustainability Metrics and Evaluation Techniques

    In this case study, an Outdoor Wood Burning appliance was installed in central Illinois as a biomass substitute for existing natural gas heating.  The location is owned by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is operated under the name Allerton Park.  Allerton Park is a 1,500 acre estate with numerous woodland, riparian, and prairie areas.   This location was selected by the University’s Student Sustainability Committee which disperses student fees allocated for sustainability improvements.  The visitor center and several workshops at Allerton Park used a 1960 boiler/heating unit that was expensive to run and produced excessive CO2 emissions.

    Attached Files: 

  20. Examining the Solar Thermal Panels at the Activities and Recreation Center

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Thermal at ARC
    NRES 285: Sustainability Metrics and Evaluation Techniques

    from student paper: "For the Spring 2014 semester, I am enrolled in NRES 285 – a field course entitled Performance Metrics and Assessment Techniques for Sustainability Projects. This course utilizes experiential learning in order to gain hands-on experience with sustainability projects on the UIUC campus. In order to assess these initiatives it is necessary to evaluate effectiveness of the project, means of improvement, methods of communicating results, and suggestions for the future. In particular, a project I found particularly appealing is the solar thermal system at the Activities and Recreation Center (ARC) used to heat the indoor and outdoor pools...."

    Attached Files: 

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