Solar Urbana-Champaign
From: Marta Monti <marta@midwestrenew.org>
Sent: Tuesday, August 02, 2022 4:34 PM
To: White, Morgan <mbwhite at illinois.edu>
Subject: Solar Urbana-Champaign is back!
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Associated Project(s):
You are here
Projects Updates for place: Abbott Power Plant
Sierra Club article about carbon removal
This Week in Research
Associated Project(s):ISTC researchers recently validated a system that can achieve up to 95% efficiency in CO₂ capture, significantly reducing the environmental impact of coal-fired power plants. The research team tested the technology at Abbott Power Plant.
The Current Status and Pillars of Direct Air Capture Technologies
Associated Project(s):The Current Status and Pillars of Direct Air Capture Technologies
Industry decarbonization & carbon capture were identified as high priority efforts to reduce climate change at the 2021 UN COP26. Renewable energy may help, but there are still sectors that remain hard to decarbonize such as distributed emissions from travel & flu gas emissions from steel and cement, & more. This talk will discuss direct air capture of CO2 from the atmosphere to curb emissions.
March 24, 12–1 pm
Elizabeth Meschewski • Illinois Sustainable Technology Center
News Gazette article - visit from US Energy Secretary
Energy iCAP Team October Meeting
Associated Project(s):The Energy iCAP team met on Friday, October 29th to discuss the proposed plan to construct a micro-modular nuclear reacter on campus. Several guests were invited to speak about the pros and cons of the issue.
Helpful Links
F&S Insider article about Carbon Capture
Associated Project(s):Daily Illini article about impacts of covid-19 on iCAP
Associated Project(s):The Daily Illini published an article about the impacts of covid-19 on the campus sustainability efforts. One key message is that, even with some delays associated with the pandemic, we are still determined to move forward. The conclusion of the article says:
Mohamed Attalla, executive director of Facilities and Services, said there are lots of initiatives to reach carbon neutrality in terms of energy and hopes to reach 400,000 metric tons of CO2 this year.
Attalla said the addition of a third solar farm, advances in geothermal energy and research in carbon capture contribute to achieving carbon neutrality and that long-term, COVID-19 should not be a problem.
“Maybe we’re behind a little in implementing some projects, but we’ll be able to catch up,” he said. “I don’t think there will be a long-term impact on the iCAP implementation.”
White also said she doesn’t anticipate any long-term problems with achieving the iCAP goals and believes it’s important for the University to lead by example when it comes to sustainability.
“I really believe that accomplishing the iCAP goals is something we can do, we need to do and we will do,” she said.
“Climate change isn’t waiting for us,” Edwards said. “(The University is) the laboratory for science, for humanities, for arts … all those kinds of things show what is possible of humanity.”
“If we’re going to call ourselves leaders, then we need to lead,” he said.
https://dailyillini.com/covid-10/2020/12/08/covid-19-pandemic-impacts-un...
DOE award for Carbon Capture project
Associated Project(s):The DOE has awarded $25M to a three-year project, led by Kevin O'Brien at the Prairie Research Institute, for the design of a next-generation power plant that "combines multiple techniques to both reduce emissions and capture and re-use carbon dioxide." -- from: https://emails.illinois.edu/newsletter/1950450895.html
OBrien and co-principal investigator Mohamed Attalla, director of U of I Facilities & Services, and ISTC project manager Les Gioja lead the project, providing combined expertise in power generation technologies, clean-energy generation, and large-scale construction. -- from: https://blogs.illinois.edu/view/7447/1913312422
eweek announcement
Associated Project(s):FGI Webinar: US EPA Reconsideration of Coal Combustion Residual Regulation
This webinar will discuss a series of proposed & finalized amendments to rules promulgated by the US EPA to the Coal Combustion Residuals Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Rule. This presentation will summarize the analysis from EPA’s Composite Model for Leachate Migration with Transformation Products and contextualize that output with the USWAG Decision and the 2020 Rulemaking efforts.
October 8, 11 am–12 pm • Map
Jen Miller • Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Mailbag solar article: Suggestion for UI solar panels
Associated Project(s):"Why doesn't the company installing the solar panels at U of I put them over the parking lot? I would provide shade for the cars underneath and would eliminate having to kill whatever would be underneath them in the fields."
The best option for building solar panels is ground-mounted, said Morgan White, the associate director for sustainability at the University of Illinois.
"As part of our Climate Leadership Commitments the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has a goal of producing at least 25,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) per year from on-campus solar," she said. "When we evaluated options for meeting this goal, rooftop solar, solar over parking areas, and ground-mounted solar were all considered. The most cost-effective option is ground-mounted solar, and it also allows for larger-scale installations.
"For a sense of the scale, the two solar farms will be a total of 75 acres, while the largest parking lot on campus is less than 15 acres.
"When installing solar panels over parking areas, there are additional infrastructure and labor costs to raise the solar panels above the ground level. Although we do not currently have any solar over parking areas, Facilities & Services is working with the Parking Department to evaluate potential locations for a pilot installation. We are also continuing to install rooftop solar on individual buildings."
Solar panels are on the following five Urbana campus buildings:
— Business Instructional Facility
— the Activities & Recreation Center
— Wassaja Residence Hall
— University High School Gymnasium
— Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Building.
"I'd also like to emphasize that the ground-mounted solar panels do not harm the plants under them. After building the first Solar Farm, we learned that there was an excellent opportunity for growing useful plants under and around the panels," said White. "This is a great opportunity for creating a multi-functional ecosystem, with pollinator supportive plants and protected areas for small animals and insects."
Energy SWATeam Meeting: October 10, 2019
Associated Project(s):The Energy SWATeam's early October meeting involved discussions on the draft 2020 iCAP Objectives created by the SWATeam members.
Attached Files:Net Metering on campus
Associated Project(s):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.
meeting scheduled for June 26
Associated Project(s):There are still a dozen or so cooling towers on campus, and ISTC staff are meeting with related building representatives later this month to review the options for reducing water consumption in these towers.
Attached Files:Illini Union cooling towers removed
Associated Project(s):The Illini Union has demolished its old cooling towers for HVAC in the past 15 years, and recently demolished the old evaporator cooling system for the refrigeration chilling water in 2017. Almost all of our HVAC is now on DDC, with the exception of AHU’s 1, 2, & 3 in the South Building attic, and AHU-21 in the North Building NW subbasement.
potential to add solar on Oak Street library
Associated Project(s):There is a grant for helping libraries go green, which could potentially support solar at the Oak Street facility.
EBSCO has expanded this year’s EBSCO Solar Grant. For the first time, it will provide three $100,000 grants to libraries looking to install solar arrays. If you’re eager to show your community the benefits of solar energy or to add to your sustainability plans, consider applying to the EBSCO Solar Grant now through April 30th. The winner will be announced on June 22nd, 2018, both online and at ALA Annual 2018.
ECS Bike Share Completed
Associated Project(s):Facilities and Services division Engineering and Construction Services (ECS) has three bikes for employees to share for campus business. Check out is easy and the same as checking out a department car or truck. Two helmets are available for borrowing and lock keys are color coded to the bike they go to.
Two of the three bikes were purchased through the Campus Bike Center, with locks and front baskets. The helmets came from Neutral Cycle. The whole project cost less than $750 and will have minimum maintenance each year.
For questions about use please contact Lily Wilcock, lwilco2@illinois.edu.
Retrofitting the campus with Rooftop Solar - Final step
Associated Project(s):Attached Files:March 2017 Sustainability Council Recommendations Approved
Associated Project(s):Interim Provost Wilkin, on behalf of Chancellor Jones, approved moving forward with the recommendations discussed at the March 2017 Sustainability Council meeting. See attached file.
See iWG follow-up on the March 2017 Sustainability Council meeting here.
See Transmittal of EGen005 Rooftop Solar Standards here.
See iWG Assessment for SWATeam recommendation EGen005 Rooftop Solar Standard here.
See SWATeam recommendation EGen005 Rooftop Solar Standards here.
See Transmittal of EGen003 PPA term to the Sustainability Council here.
See iWG Assessment of EGen003 PPA Term here.
See SWATeam recommendation EGen003 PPA Term here.
See Transmittal of ECONS003 Conservation Budget to the Provost Office here.
See iWG Assessment of ECONS003 Conservation Budget here.
See SWATeam Recommendation of ECONS003 Conservation Budget here.
Attached Files:OMA representatives review stand-alone cooling towers
Associated Project(s):Water Station Foreman, Shawn Young, indicated today that there are two remaining stand-alone cooling towers on campus buildings maintained by F&S: Temple Buell Hall and the Personnel Services Building. One of these (Personnel) is scheduled to be added to the central chilled water loop in 2020, according to the Utilities Energy Production and Distribution Master Plan. Base on that discussion, Morgan Johnston will be following up with the Water SWATeam to let them know that because there are so few remaining stand-alone cooling towers, this is not a high-priority item to pursue.
