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Project Updates for collection: Renewable Energy Projects

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  2. Net Metering on campus

    Associated Project(s): 
    ECE Rooftop Solar PVs
    Rooftop Solar Potential

    For all of our buildings with renewable energy systems, we employ a net metering method.  We deduct the energy supplied by the system from the building load on the campus grid.  So, if ECE uses about 250,000 kwh of electricity per month, and the rooftop array will supply 10,000 kwh per month, then the net bill for the ECE building will be 240,000 kwh at the campus electricity rate.  Therefore, the building gets full credit for the energy supplied by the array.

  4. Geothermal monitoring borehole on the Bardeen Quad

    Associated Project(s): 
    Geothermal Monitoring Well on Bardeen Quad

    Hi everyone,

    I wanted to report that yesterday we completed the thermal response test in the borehole, and our work at the site is done. Currently, we are working on processing and analyzing the data. This work should be completed later this week, and when done we will share the results with Sachin and the rest of the project team.

    Tim Stark will also use these results to compare with the wellbore model his student is developing.

     

    Best,

    Andy

    _________________________________________________________________

    Andrew Stumpf, Ph.D, LG, P.Geo

    Associate Geologist

    Illinois State Geological Survey

    Prairie Research Institute

    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

    615 East Peabody Drive, Champaign, Illinois USA 61820

  10. Geothermal project at the Woody Perennial Polyculture site for new greenhouse and existing Greenhouse 1506 Building

    Associated Project(s): 
    Geothermal at WPP

    From: Stumpf, Andrew J
    Sent: Friday, March 1, 2019 4:20 PM
    To: Erickson, Keith R; White, Morgan
    Subject: Geothermal project at the Woody Perennial Polyculture site for new greenhouse and existing Greenhouse 1506 Building

     

    Hi Keith,

    In getting an initial estimate for the design and build of a geothermal system for a new and existing greenhouse at the Woody Perennial Polyculture site we are being asked to what extent the electrical system will need to be modified/upgraded. Does it require utilizing the existing infrastructure and extending the current line to an utility shed, or will there be further modifications needed to the electrical system.

    We have been advised so a far that the heated greenhouse would need up to 5 heat pumps, which would be located in the shed. Another heat pump would be installed in Greenhouse 1506 building, to be used just for summer cooling. Overall, the proposed geothermal borefield would provide 2-tons of heating and cooling.

    Currently, both greenhouse have propane heaters, and the 1506 building has a evaporative cooler on the west wall. Since we could not get a design and build of the geothermal system done in the summer/fall, Dr. DoKyoung Lee installed the propane heater that came with the new greenhouse he purchased in early last year. We introduced the idea of building the geothermal system after he had purchased the greenhouse.

    If you could provide us with some information about the electrical distribution system at the site, we would appreciate it.

     

    Thanks,

    Andy

     

    Andrew Stumpf, Ph.D, LG, P.Geo

    Associate Geologist

    Illinois State Geological Survey

    Prairie Research Institute

    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  12. Washington Post article: The next money crop for farmers: Solar panels

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Farm 1.0
    Issue Press Releases and Sustainability Reports

    The Washington Post published an article on February 22, 2019, about how farmers are making the transition to solar based on current corn and soybean price drops, and the implications of that. Evan DeLucia is quoted in this article.

    See attached or follow the link to read the article.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/the-next-money-crop-for-...

    Attached Files: 

  15. SSC funds Energy Shaft at the Energy Farm

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

    This student-led project will involve the design, construction, and installation of an energy geo-structure for heating the UIUC Energy Farm, located near the southeast corner of Race Street and Curtis Road on the South Farms. This project has great potential in exploring and utilizing geothermal energy, a renewable energy alternative to fossil fuels. An energy shaft is a new technology designed to access the shallow geothermal energy (relatively constant ground temperature in the upper 30 m of the subsurface). The objective of the project is to determine the feasibility of using drilled shafts that are already being used to support structures on campus also as a geothermal heat-exchange element. Geothermal heat exchangers (closed absorber pipes) can be incorporated into underground infrastructure, e.g., drilled shafts, through which water is circulated to withdraw shallow geothermal heat (~55 °F) and transport it to the surface for structure heating or cooling.

    Attached Files: 

  16. Meeting Minutes for iWG February, 2019

    Associated Project(s): 
    iCAP Working Group (iWG)
    Student Sustainability Leadership Council (SSLC)
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)
    Energy Generation, Purchasing, & Distribution (eGen) SWATeam
    Energy Generation, Purchasing, & Distribution (eGen) SWATeam
    Agriculture, Land Use, Food, and Sequestration (ALUFS) SWATeam
    Zero Waste Recommendations Summary
    Solar Farm 2.0
    Internal price on carbon
    Reduce Emissions from Transportation

    These are the meeting minutes from February 7, 2019.

    Attached Files: 

  17. Carbon Credit Funding Approval for Energy Piles at Hydro-Systems Lab

    Associated Project(s): 
    Hydro-Systems Lab Energy Foundations
    Utilize Carbon Credits
    Carbon Credit Purchasing Program (C2P2) with Second Nature

    $230,000 of funding from the Carbon Credit Sales Fund was approved for Energy Piles at Hydro-Systems Lab by Evan DeLucia and Mohamed Attalla

     

    Purpose of Project:

    "This project will install 8 energy piles in the foundation of the Hydro-Systems Lab on campus, and provide new research capabilities and a geothermal exchange system for reduction of energy demand from that building." -Morgan White (2/6/19)

     

    An email of the approval is linked below.

    Attached Files: 

  19. SSC funds Gable Home

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

    The Gable Home was designed and built by students to compete in the 2009 US Dept. of Energy's Solar Decathlon Competition. Following the competition, the house returned to campus and was located at the I Hotel until Spring 2017 at which point it had to be moved due to the expansion of the research park. Since then a team of students and faculty have been working on finding a new permanent location for the Gable Home. A suitable location was found at the Energy Farm on Race St. in Urbana. The house is a valuable educational tool for students from many units on campus to visit and experience occupying a space that is powered solely by the sun and uses passive and active systems to create desirable thermal comfort throughout the year. This SSC grant provides support for the installation costs to make Gable Home a permanent fixture at the Energy Farm, so it meets building codes.

    Attached Files: 

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