Assuming that our conservation efforts will cut our energy needs in half, we will have to find ways to produce and/or purchase roughly 250,000 MWh/yr of electricity and 250,000 MWh/yr of heat in a carbon-neutral manner.  Campus has made good progress in reducing GHG emissions since FY08, largely due to improvements in the energy efficiency of buildings.  Looking ahead, we expect to see continued reductions due to improvements in energy efficiency and additional energy conservation efforts.  However, in order to achieve zero GHG emissions, it is also necessary to change the way we generate, distribute, and purchase power.

I would note that the room level controls at the National Soybean Research Center have been upgraded to DDC in the past year.  We plan to do this in the ACES Library in 2021.  We have invested in Turner Hall w/ control upgrades and RCx work. The Ag Engineering building saw a recent project last year to upgrade to DDC controls and replace VAV boxes.  ~Karl Helmink, F&S RCx, january 2021

As provided by Allison Narlock, the current quality control lead for Illinois Biodiesel Initiative (IBI), IBI performs a series of standard tests for every batch. The tests, with the ASTM test number, are the following (in no particular order:)

• Acid Number: D974
• Water and Sediment: D2709
• Flash Point: D93 (D6450), we use the closed cup method
• Oxidative Stability: D2274
• Visual Inspection: D4176
• Cold Soak: D7501
• Cloud Point: D2500

For each test, results are recorded to provide information as needed.

The attached files highlight the battery and cell phone collection efforts conducted from 01/01/2020 to 12/31/2020. These reports include valuable information such as the pounds collected, breakdown by chemistry, growth rates, and collected trends over a 3-year time period.

The supplier of the heat pump, Connor Company, has received it from the factory and will deliver it to campus on Friday, January 8, 2020. Lanz Inc. will then work to install the system.

Please see the attached report that details a design report for the Vet Med Stormwater system. 

In the January 2021 Newsletter, the City of Urbana discussed the health and wellness benefits of trees, as well as its plans to promote tree planting throughout the city:

Trees affect our health and wellness. Humans breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide, whereas trees absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. With a mutually beneficial relationship, one large tree can supply enough oxygen for four people. This is really wonderful, however, it takes around five trees to absorb the CO2 produced by just one person.

Additionally, trees also trap air pollution. This greatly affects our health. Trees also help to clean water by acting as a natural filter. Plus, trees decrease stress for us and improve recovery time from illnesses. These are a few of the reasons Urbana's Urban Canopy is tantamount to human life, health, and progress. Trees are always working to keep us healthy and strong – help us do the same for them! *

We’re asking you to partner with the City of Urbana — on an individual basis or through your neighborhood association, service organization, business or church — by sharing the cost of new trees through our Co-op Tree Planting Program.

The City of Urbana Arbor Division will be adding to Urbana's Urban Canopy this coming Spring, 2021. These are made possible by the generous donations through the Co-op Tree Planting Program. 

"If all goes well this will be good for roughly 40-45 vacant tree planting sites throughout town. These site will be planted with Urbana Heritage species and mostly native species to Illinois. I will be selecting these sites during January for spring planting order," Kevin Sanderson, Arborist and Urbana Arbor Division Supervisor, said.
 

From: https://www.spglobal.com/platts/en/market-insights/latest-news/electric-...

The company also announced its next phase of coal plant closures in Illinois and Ohio with a combined capacity of more than 6.8 GW, by 2027. The plan has the following timeline:

• End of 2022: Edwards Power plant, Bartonville, Illinois, 585 MW, in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator.
• End of 2025: Baldwin Power Plant, Baldwin, Illinois, 1,185 MW; Joppa Power Plant, Joppa, Illinois, 1,002 MW (plus 239 MW of gas turbines), both in MISO.
• End of 2027: Newton Power Plant, Newton, Illinois, 615 MW, in MISO; and Kincaid Power plant, Kincaid, Illinois, 1,108 MW, Miami Fort Power Plant, North Bend, Ohio, 1,020 MW, and Zimmer Power Plant, Moscow, Ohio, 1,300 MW, all three in the PJM Interconnection.

"These plants, especially those operating in the irreparably dysfunctional MISO market, remain economically challenged," Vistra said in a Sept. 29 statement. "Today's retirement announcements are also prompted by upcoming Environmental Protection Agency filing deadlines, which require either significant capital expenditures for compliance or retirement declarations."

RailSplitter Wind Farm provided the December 2020 Buyer's Share amounts by hour, totaling 2098.8 Megawatt hours. See attached file.

Attached are old notes prior to the formation of the committee. 

Please see the attached for the December newsletter regarding the SmartWay program.

Minutes from the Education SWATeam meeting on December 2nd, 2020. During this meeting, the possibility of developing a sustainability workshop for first year students and a sustainability general education requirement were discussed.