The Pointer UW-Stevens Point Student Newspaper
The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is the first university in the state to receive 100 percent of its electricity from renewable sources.
This achievement has been met with much enthusiasm from students and staff.
Jake Powell, sophomore graphic design major said, “I’m pretty stoked. I’m proud I get to be a part of it, because coal, gas, and oil are limited sources that we won’t have forever.”
Previously, the university was paying about 26 dollars per green energy credit, but due to the growth of renewable energy in the United States, clean energy has dropped substantially in price. Now it only costs about 96 cents per credit.
The lower prices make it easier and more practical for campus to spend money on clean energy. On top of that, UWSP also has implemented new techniques for reducing the total amount of electricity used across campus.
Lights in buildings are being switched from fluorescent to more efficient LED light bulbs. Windows are getting sealed to stop heat from escaping and low flush toilets can now be found in most bathrooms in academic buildings.
The university has a carbon neutral plan that was signed in December of 2007. The goal was to became carbon neutral by 2050. The first benchmark in the plan is to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent before the year 2020.
With 100 percent of our electricity coming from renewables, we are well ahead of our goal for 2020.
Dave Barbier, the Campus Sustainability Coordinator, said, “That puts us in front of our 2020 target deadline of achieving our carbon neutrality deadline.”
How do we know that the light in the library is coming from a wind turbine? The short answer is that we don’t. The energy grid is a large pool of all sources, nuclear, wind, solar and coal. When the university purchases credits, it is just encouraging energy companies to put more efforts into sourcing from clean energy.
When a wind farm, solar panel or other form of renewable resource produces electrical power, that power is sold to the power grid. When that is done, a renewable energy certificate is issued and that certificate can then be purchased by the university.
“This impacts every person that steps onto this campus,” Barbier said. “And I think that’s a really important feat.”
Whether it’s studying late at the library, or charging a laptop in the Basement Brewhaus, it can be done with the peace of mind that the electricity is from a clean source.
Genevieve Adamski
Reporter
gadam590@uwsp.edu
