Focus Areas
- Carbon Neutrality and Clean Energy
- Zero Waste
- Food
- Green Building
- Alternative Transportation
- Water
In November 2013, President Janet Napolitano announced the Carbon Neutrality Initiative, committing the University of California to emitting net zero greenhouse gases from its buildings and vehicle fleet by 2025 — something no other major university system has done.
UC San Diego continues to be a leader in climate change research and education, while also aggressively pursuing actions to reduce the campus’ environmental footprint, including:
UC San Diego has built one of the world’s the most advanced microgrids, which is key to creating a carbon neutral campus. The microgrid provides a flexible, resilient, reliable, secure energy distribution system that generates more than 85% of the electricity used on campus annually. Power is provided from several sources the campus’ 30-megawatt cogeneration plant, 2.8-megawatt renewable energy fuel cell, and 2.4 megawatts of solar arrays.
The campus operates a 30-megawatt natural-gas-fired combined heat and power system that provides 72% of the campus’s annual electricity needs. The Environmental Protection Agency recognized the plant with an Energy Star CHP Award for its high efficiency and low emissions.
Cogeneration uses one fuel source (natural gas) to produce two forms of energy (electricity and heat). State-of–the-art gas turbines equipped with pollution controls are 45-50% more efficient than conventional natural gas power plants and produce 75% fewer emissions.
In addition to saving approximately $18 million in annual purchased utilities costs, cogeneration reduces:
A computerized Energy Management System connects all major campus buildings and centrally monitors and controls mechanical systems — heating, ventilating and air conditioning — based on occupancy. The programmed system reduces energy use during evenings, weekends and holidays. Precise programming reduces peak-time energy demand, maximizes conservation and allows for efficient room temperature management and long-term trending and comparative analysis.
The campus’ 2.4-megawatt solar network includes an array of rooftop, carport and ground mounted systems, including several integrated with advanced energy systems. The campus continually seeks opportunities to expand our solar infrastructure.
Our 2.8-megawatt fuel cell is the largest on any college campus. It provides about 7% of UC San Diego’s total energy needs, or the equivalent of powering 2,800 homes. The fuel cell uses waste methane gas from the Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant to generate combustion-free electricity for the campus. In addition to electricity, a 300-ton absorption chiller captures waste heat from the fuel cell to produce chilled water that is stored in the nearby Thermal Energy Storage system.
Energy storage is the key to balancing energy supply and demand and UC San Diego has one of the largest, most diversified energy storage portfolios of any college campus. The portfolio contains a variety of energy storage types, including advanced battery storage, thermal energy storage, an ultra-capacitor, and two “2nd Life EV Battery Storage” demonstration systems. Examples:
Most recently, in partnership with UC San Diego’s Center for Energy Research and ESS, a demonstration 40 kilowatt/400 kilowatt “all-iron flow battery” was installed on one of three east campus Energy Research Park test sites.
The UC Carbon Neutrality Initiative Fellowship Program funds student-generated projects that support the UC system’s goal to produce zero-net greenhouse gas emissions by 2025. UC San Diego’s 2019-20 fellows
The Sustainability Ambassadors Program aims to educate and engage students through peer education and programming to raise awareness of UC San Diego’s efforts to reach carbon neutrality and encourage students to implement sustainable living methods.
UC San Diego is a leader in academic and research programs focused on providing climate change education and solutions to meet the growing challenge of supplying clean energy for the future. Researchers from the Center for Energy Research are performing groundbreaking research, such as:
Faculty are also engaged in community projects like inter-disciplinary Deep De-Carbonization Initiative, which includes both technical and social science experts from across the campus.
As the campus moves towards meeting its carbon emission reduction goals, many programs are already underway or scheduled to begin soon. Some of them include: