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WHY WE CAN't AFFORD NOT to by Cory Rose Busher a Project

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GETTING HUMBOLDT STATE UNIVERSITY OFF THE GRID: WHY WE CAN’T AFFORD NOT TO By Cory Rose Busher A Project Presented to The Faculty of Humboldt State University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Business Administration Committee Membership Dr. Michelle Lane, Committee Chair Dr. David Sleeth-Keppler, Committee Member Dr. David Sleeth-Keppler, Graduate Coordinator July 2015 ABSTRACT GETTING HUMBOLDT STATE UNIVERSITY OFF THE GRID: WHY WE CAN’T AFFORD NOT TO Cory Rose Busher The world’s non-renewable resources for energy are slowly diminishing and cannot be replaced as fast as they are being consumed (OpenStax CNX). The limited supply of fossil fuel oil, coal, natural gas and nuclear power are exponentially being depleted as the world’s population grows. At this rate, natural gas supply will run out within the next 35 years, and fossil fuel oil will be depleted within the next 14 years (Carty). These frightening facts are the driving force behind the renewable energy source movement. World demand for energy is projected to more than double by 2050 and to more than triple by the end of the century (US Department of Energy). Renewable energy sources include solar, biomass, wind, geothermal and hydropower. The daunting task of shifting away from non-renewable energy polluters and emphasizing mainstream renewable energy sources into normal consumer and business practices is a necessary challenge society needs to start enforcing now. Determining which type of renewable energy best fits needs must be based on geographical constraints. For example, coastal areas may choose to utilize hydropower, areas with timber production could use biomass, or active volcano areas can tap into geothermal energy and of course solar energy. ii Renewable solar energy can be implemented anywhere. All of Earth’s surface areas receive sunlight. Solar power is energy from the sun that is converted into thermal or electrical energy. The most common form of harnessing solar energy is through photovoltaics (PV) (Solar Energy Industries Association). PVs are the direct conversion of light into electricity at the atomic level. Specific semiconductor materials absorb photons of light and release electrons, when these free electrons are captured, an electric current is created that can be used as electricity (NASA). Combining PV materials together form solar cells. Solar rays from the sun combined with solar cells result in solar cells emitting usable electric energy. An increase in solar energy use would drastically reduce carbon emissions compared to the current source of energy. Humboldt State University is dedicated to helping the environment with continued sustainability measures, a solar panel installation program might be the biggest contribution the campus could make to the renewable energy source movement. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many thanks to the faculty and staff at Humboldt State University, and to my family for their constant guidance and support. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................ ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................ vii INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1 Background ..................................................................................................................... 1 Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design .......................................................... 2 Non-renewable Resources .............................................................................................. 3 The Clean Water and Clean Air Acts ............................................................................. 5 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ................................................................. 6 Kyoto Protocol ................................................................................................................ 7 Renewable Portfolio Standard ........................................................................................ 7 Solar Incentives ............................................................................................................... 8 Humboldt State University Paving the Way ................................................................... 8 MATERIALS AND METHODS ...................................................................................... 10 Solar Panel Installation Project on HSU Campus ......................................................... 10 The Impact of the Project .............................................................................................. 11 Costs and Incentives for Solar Projects ........................................................................ 12 SunEdison ..................................................................................................................... 13 Arcata Demographics ................................................................................................... 14 Concerns and Barriers ................................................................................................... 14 Plan Implementation (4 phases) .................................................................................... 15 DISCUSSION ................................................................................................................... 17 v Examples of Solar Projects ........................................................................................... 18 CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS OR SUMMARY ........................................ 19 REFERENCES OR LITERATURE CITED .................................................................... 20 vi LIST OF TABLES Table 1: 2012 CO2 Emissions (released March 4, 2015) (U.S. Energy Information Administration) ................................................................................................................... 3 Table 2: Using the Solar Calculator on SolarEnergy.net for Arcata, CA: (Solar Energy) 10 Table 3: HSU Campus Estimated Rooftop Infrastructure (Humboldt State University).. 11 vii 1 INTRODUCTION Background Humboldt State University (HSU) was founded in 1913 and is one of the West’s best college towns (Humboldt State University). The campus has already implemented numerous energy-saving initiatives, such as the installation of solar panels on the Art A Building in 2009 and Eppley Precision Spectral Pyranometers on the library in 2006. Also, the Schatz Energy Research Center is constantly finding new ways for the campus, and the world, to use more renewable energy. All these initiatives are very effective renewable energy investments, but taking it to the next level with a large-scale solar panel installation project would save HSU thousands of dollars in the long-run and make the campus front-runners in the renewable energy initiative for the California State University system. When looking at a solar panel installation project, some places are more effective than others; Yuma, Arizona with 90% sunshine compared to Juneau, Alaska with 30% for example. Eureka, California is about average with 51% possible yearly sunshine (Western Regional Climate Center). The percentage of sunshine is defined as the sum of the time for which the direct solar irradiance exceeds 120W mˉ2 during a given period (World Meteorological Organization). There is a large amount of energy that can be received by solar panels even if it is cloudy, and due to the reflective nature of clouds if there are a few in the sky, it can yield a higher amount of energy then a completely clear sky (Green Peace). As technology in solar panels improves, the more affordable they 2 become to businesses and the general public. Since solar panels are most effective renewable energy resource in Humboldt County, this paper will determine the cost- benefit analysis of installing solar panels at HSU based on estimations of energy produced from previously installed solar panels, while taking into consideration the advancement of technology since 2008. The main research question to be analyzed is if there is enough adequate rooftop infrastructure at HSU to install the needed number of solar panels to take the campus completely off the grid? The main determining factor will be cost; between scarce campus funds and strategic partnerships the feasibility of funding the project will be researched. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design The exponential magnitude of environmental issues in the world is astounding. The current energy infrastructure system hemorrhages money and resources due to inefficiencies in the national grid and wasteful energy practices. These reasons, along with old or poorly constructed buildings justify LEED certifications. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is a program emphasizing the best “greenest” strategies and practices when constructing buildings. The mission of LEED certified buildings is to “…save money and resources and have a positive impact on the health of occupants, while promoting renewable, clean energy” (LEED). One critical component of LEED certified construction is the building’s energy and atmosphere category. Today, buildings account for approximately 40% of total energy use (United Nations
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