What do giant grasses, micro grids, deep wells, and hydrogen-powered buses all have in common? They are all part of a clean energy future that is being imagined, created, and tested here at UIUC. The breadth of our energy research portfolio, across all of the campus and the broader C-U community, is truly impressive. Here are just a few examples:

Solar Farm 2.0 will soon be home to a newly awarded, $10M project led by Madhu Khanna to optimize the design of "Agrivoltaics," or fields with both crops and solar panels to maintain crop production, produce renewable energy, and increase farm profitability. A few miles to the east, the Energy Farm boasts extensive test plots to study how to grow and use plants as biofuel. The farm is using a biomass boiler to replace propane as the fuel source for its main research greenhouse. The Energy Farm is also home to one of dozens of geothermal wells on campus that are helping scientists like Yu-Feng Lin develop better geothermal systems, while on the north side of campus, the new Campus Instructional Facility is heated and cooled with a state-of-the art geothermal system. Nuclear power is expected to play an important role in meeting our campus ICAP goals, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission hosted a hearing last week to seek input on our plans to site a next-generation, micronuclear reactor near the Abbott Power Plant. Integrating renewable energy sources into the power grid presents unique challenges, and Illinois power system researchers, including Alejandro Domínguez-García, are working to develop microgrid technology to address issues of reliability and resilience. Meanwhile, researchers such as Petros Sofronis are working on a bold new vision for national leadership in the emerging hydrogen economy. (It might sound like the stuff of science fiction, but the CUMTD just launched two hydrogen-powered, zero-emission buses—the first in the state!) 

There is only one way I can wrap up a message about our campus energy research: The future looks bright, indeed!

Sincerely,

Susan

The following information was received from Haley Cepek, the secretary for the Student Environmental Action Coalition at Illinois State University:

We are currently planning a climate rally in response to the recent COP26 conference. It would take place this Friday, 11/12/21, starting at 1pm at Uptown Circle right outside ISU campus. I want to spread the word over to the University of Illinois so that more people would have the opportunity to use their voice for change. It is an important event and I would love for University of Illinois to have representation. I would greatly appreciate if you could help me in spreading the word over to your campus. We are hoping to make as big of an impact as we can with this rally, and we would truly benefit from combining our communities together to support one cause.

Colleagues,

Please see the attached correspondence sent on behalf of Chancellor Robert J. Jones regarding the FY22 Sustainability Council.

Kindest regards,

Wendy

Wendy M. Bertram
Executive Assistant to the Chancellor
 

The harmful economic & environmental effects of agricultural waste can be mitigated with cutting-edge technologies, such as converting it to biochar & fuel. Join the final Fall iSEE Congress session with Thomas Trabold, Golisano Institute for Sustainability, Rochester Institute of Technology; and Yuanhui Zhang, Founder Professor of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Illinois.

November 9, 12–1 pm • Register for Zoom webinar

Julie Wurth • Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment

iSEE Congress Webinar: "Turning Agricultural Waste into Usable Products"

Do you want to ensure that your spending is ethical and making a positive impact on the world? Is being mindful about where your money goes important to you? This webinar provides the tools you need to think critically about your own consumption. Learn how you can align your own behaviors with your personal values and goals. Registration required.

Student Money Management Center • University of Illinois System Student Money Management Center

Free Webinar - Conscious Consumerism

Emily Dickett, iSEE Sustainabiltiy Intern, compiled the following notes on sustainability and the arts:

Art and sustainability (activesustainability.com):

• Sustainability present in many aspects of everyday life

• Art is a vehicle of expression

• Nature is one of the most common things pained

• Nature is one of the oldest things pained

  • Landscapes in old chinese ink, drawings on ancient egyptian tombs

• Sustainability and art can increase interest in nature/sustainability

  • Make people question norms

• New trend of Land Art - communicate sustainability messages through the materials used and their impact on the environment

  • Ex: sculptures out of plastic

  • Promote conversations and change

How Artists Are Incorporating Sustainability Into Their Work | Yale Sustainability

• Artwork is interpreted individually, different for each person

• Sustainability in artwork gives people the chance to think critically about their own roles in climate change

• Sustainability in artwork can pose an issue in a different way

  • Learn new issues through art

• Art is symbolic and memorable

  • Make sustainability ideas stick!

The Zero Waste iCAP Team met on Wednesday, November 3 to prioritize recommendations for this semester and plans for next semester. The team has decided to move forward with a drinking water campaign to recommend by the end of this semester, and the committee will break out into sub-teams for the upcoming semester based on several other working recommendations. Meeting minutes are attached.

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.

Meeting Recording

Helpful Links

UIUC News Release on MMR

MMR Link 1 - MMR Link 2

Podcast about MMR at Illinois

Opinion by Dr. Bruce Hannon on MMR at Illinois

UIUC Utilities Master Plan

UIUC Energy Master Plan

The Transportation iCAP team met on Friday, October 29th for its monthly meeting. The team discussed the plans for the proposed Commuter Program, the Walkability Audit, and the Campus Transportation Advisory Committee. Additionally, steps will be taken to pick up the Fleet Replacement Recommendation and the EV Task Force Member Recommendation.

Meeting Recording

All, I jinxed it. I said we’d be slower last week sine it rained a lot but then people kept showing up. Finished up a bike for Wednesday or Friday and it didn’t sell immediately, so looks like demand is waning a little.

This week I’ll work on doing preliminary checks/sorting of Kids’ Bikes for our giveaway. I also ordered a rebuild kit for each of our truing stands, which’ll help get those back in good working order. I’ll get those installed this week as well.

I’ll also poke around on the LGL database as to why it is not registering new membership forms.

The numbers:

Visitors: 31
Sales: $281
Tires/tubes: 6 for $35

Thanks!

Jacob Benjamin
Campus Bike Center Coordinator

Good morning! First, we would like to congratulate you on completing the second annual Waste Reduction Challenge. You should be extremely proud of yourself for your dedication to tracking waste, whether it was all four weeks or just one. We hope this challenge opened your eyes to the amount of waste we generate and that you use what you learned going forward in your everyday life.

As promised, later this week we will send an email with raffle winners and statistics on how we did as a group in reducing our waste. To stay connected with fellow participants and be reminded of all things sustainability with U of I, sign up for the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment newsletter. Also, join the Waste Reduction @ Illinois Facebook group! The group has over 100 members and is the place to communicate and share ideas with fellow sustainability rockstars.

In addition to the Facebook group, check out these links to participate in sustainability activities and continue learning more:

·        Sign the "Use the Bin Pledge" - pledging to always use the recycling bin!

·        If you are on the Illinois campus, check out our Greener Campus Certification opportunities (for offices, events, and Greek chapters)

·        Watch the new (brief) sustainability training video - and take the survey afterward!

·        Read the iCAP 2020

·        If you missed any of the information throughout the challenge, here is a folder with all of the links and guides.

·        Monday, November 15 is America Recycles Day! How will you celebrate? We'd love to see you at the monthly iSEE TED Talk: Eco-Edition series from 6 - 7 PM on Zoom. Sign up here.

Again, big congratulations on completing this month-long challenge. Attached is a guide with tips on going forward from here. This is just a starting point! Continue trying to live as sustainably as possible and set a positive example for your friends and family members. Remember, "we don't need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly" (Anne-Marie Bonneau).

If you have not already done so, please submit your Week 4 Google Form and grid as soon as possible. As always, please feel free to continue to reach out to us with any questions, comments, or feedback. We look forward to interacting with you on the Facebook page, via email, and at future events!

Have a great week and thanks again!

Emily (iSEE Sustainability Intern) and Meredith (iSEE Sustainability Programs Manager)

The second Illini Lights Out event of the year was held on Friday, October 22nd, 2021. There were about 100 more volunteers than last time, with the total number of volunteers coming to 185 people! Volunteers shut off 3266 light bulbs and saved 5634 kWh of energy, 4 metric tons of CO2, and $474. Thanks so much to the volunteers who made this possible!

The next Illini Lights Out event will be Friday, November 12th at 5:30pm. Students, sign up at the link below and meet at the Foreign Language Building lobby!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSehaxolPWKdnvOVe2T61XcjXHrL16oC...