| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 67.88 |
| Liaison | Krista Bailey |
| Submission Date | Sept. 14, 2017 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Pennsylvania State University
OP-6: Clean and Renewable Energy
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.06 / 4.00 |
Shelley
McKeague Environmental Compliance Specialist Engineering Services |
Total energy consumption (all sources, excluding transportation fuels), performance year :
Total clean and renewable electricity generated on site during the performance year and for which the institution retains or has retired the associated environmental attributes:
A brief description of on-site renewable electricity generating devices :
Penn State has four different solar arrays on campus:
The first is a 2 KW array that was installed in 2001. This array is thin film panels with a grid-tied inverter and is fixed roof mounted on our Physical Plant Building.
The second system is a 1.75 KW pole mounted array and uses passive tracking. It is installed on our Center for Sustainability greenhouse and is mono-crystalline silicon panels with a grid-tied inverter.
The third system is an 8 KW array which is roof mounted onto our MorningStar home, which was PSU's 2007 entry into the Solar Decathlon. This array is mono-crystalline silicon panels with a grid-tied inverter.
The fourth is a 5 KW system located at the Physical Plant Building to offset a vehicle charging station for electric cars purchased as part of a Reinvention Fund grant through the Sustainability Institute.
Non-electric renewable energy generated on-site, performance year:
A brief description of on-site renewable non-electric energy devices:
not applicable
Total clean and renewable electricity generated by off-site projects that the institution catalyzed and for which the institution retains or has retired the associated environmental attributes, performance year:
A brief description of off-site, institution-catalyzed, renewable electricity generating devices:
In 2013, Penn State entered into a 10-year power purchase agreement with Mahoning Creek Hydroelectric Company. This new 6MW hydroelectric generating plant was built in 2013 at the existing USACE dam on Mahoning Creek located in Armstrong County, PA. Penn State will purchase all of the net electric output from the facility and retain the environmental attributes. This is approximately 5% of the University Park campus’ electric purchase.
Total third-party certified RECs, GOs and/or similar renewable energy products (including renewable electricity purchased through a utility-provided certified green power option) purchased during the performance year:
A brief description of the RECs, GOs and/or similar renewable energy products, including contract timeframes:
not applicable
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Electricity use, by source (percentage of total, 0-100):
| Percentage of total electricity use (0-100) | |
| Biomass | 0 |
| Coal | 53.34 |
| Geothermal | 0 |
| Hydro | 0.53 |
| Natural gas | 26.21 |
| Nuclear | 16.35 |
| Solar photovoltaic | 0.04 |
| Wind | 1.86 |
| Other (please specify and explain below) | 1.17 |
A brief description of other sources of electricity not specified above:
Oil, other fossil fuel & other unknown from eGRID (RFCW subregion)
Energy used for heating buildings, by source::
| Percentage of total energy used to heat buildings (0-100) | |
| Biomass | 0 |
| Coal | 11.20 |
| Electricity | 0 |
| Fuel oil | 0.20 |
| Geothermal | 0 |
| Natural gas | 88.60 |
| Other (please specify and explain below) | 0 |
A brief description of other sources of building heating not specified above:
Percentage of total energy consumption from clean and renewable sources:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.