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 Environment Programme). The more buildings that can be built or retrofitted to comply with LEED standards, the less non-renewable energy would be demanded and the
3
fewer carbon dioxide emissions would be released into the atmosphere. Credits, or points,
to determine the level of LEED certification can be awarded to buildings that offset
varying percentages of annual energy costs. Installing the accurate number of PV panels
would qualify the building they are put on to gain LEED points toward a higher
certification.
Non-renewable Resources
Coal, petroleum and natural gas are the United States’ largest producer of energy
and are monumental contributors of carbon dioxide release into the atmosphere. As
exhibited below, petroleum is the largest source of energy, followed by coal, then natural
gas.
Table 1: 2012 CO2 Emissions (released March 4, 2015) (U.S. Energy Information
Administration)
The methods of extracting coal, petroleum and natural gas are harmful to the environment by themselves, then, once they are used for energy, carbon dioxide
emissions have an additional negative effect on the environment. Current reliance on
non-renewable energy sources is not sustainable and involves increasingly destructive
extraction processes, uncertain supplies, escalating market prices and national security
vulnerability (LEED). According to Greenpeace’s January 2013 Point of No Return
4 report, there are 14 new projects the coal, oil and gas companies are planning that would increase fossil fuel emissions by 20% and push the world’s “carbon budget” over the edge by 2020 (Myllyvirta & Voorhar). This destructive trend must be addressed now and the projects halted through an increase in renewable energy sources to avoid an even more catastrophic climate crisis.
The mining process for coal is extremely dangerous and the effects are long- lasting. From deforestation of old growth timberlands and extinction of numerous wildlife habitats, to the lingering toxic minerals and heavy metals that get into the soil and water streams, the workers and residents living near dangerous coal mines are subject to deadly inhalations and accidents resulting in thousands of deaths per year (Green
Peace). The release of methane, which is 20 times more powerful than carbon dioxide, is also a byproduct of coal mining and is a significant point of concern when trying to implement reclamation plans of inactive mining sites. There is typically only a 20-30% success rate of replanting trees on the damaged soil (Green Peace).
Petroleum production has a polluting factor associated with every stage of its product cycle. Exploratory activities, crude oil extraction and the refinement process
(which separates gasoline from jet fuel, diesel fuel, kerosene and propane etc.) have high risk factors from handling these extremely toxic chemicals and emit wastewaters, solid waste and aerosols (La Rovere & Mariano). Transportation of petroleum through pipelines and on tankers have significant costs and potential detrimental environmental impacts in the event of a tanker spill. Despite the evidence that petroleum has a negative impact on the environment and ecosystems, there is continued demand for it by society.
5
There is movement toward reducing dependence on petroleum products with electric
cars, landscaping equipment, rechargeable flashlights and countless other modifications
to consumer products that tend to solely be run by petroleum. With continued
advancement in technology and alternative energy cost reductions, eliminating petroleum
use by substituting it for solar electricity may become reality.
Natural gas energy production use to be thought of as the “good kind of energy”
because it burns cleaner than coal at about half the carbon emissions per unit of electricity generated, but carbon dioxide emissions aren’t declining because natural gas is replacing some of the declining coal production as well as the rapidly declining use of nuclear power. Consumer demand for electricity is also increasing by a predicted 30% from 2012 to 2050, so no matter where electricity is coming from, there will have to be more of it (Union of Concerned Scientists).
The push to become reliant on renewable energy sources is a controversial topic, largely due to petroleum, coal and natural gas companies’ political action committees and public relations efforts. Fortunately, environmental stewardship and the current climate crisis are resilient issues that cannot be ignored. The government has implemented several acts to help mitigate some of these concerns, attached to them are serious legal ramifications for non-compliance.
The Clean Water and Clean Air Acts
The Environmental Protection Agency implements and regulates the Clean Water and
Clean Air Acts in order to reduce toxins in all waterways and the atmosphere. The Clean
Water Act sets the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters
6 of the United States and regulating quality standards for surface waters (United States
Environmental Protection Agency). There are standards set for the amount of wastewater and contaminates that can expelled after obtaining a permit.
The main premise of the Clean Air Act is similar to the Clean Water Act, but is concerned with air emissions from both stationary and mobile sources, and general public health and welfare risks associated with airborne pollutants (United States Environmental
Protection Agency). Since 1970, when the Clean Air Act was first introduced, gross domestic product (GDP) has risen 219% while emissions of the six most common pollutants dropped by 72% (United States Environmental Protection Agency). This statistic emphasizes the significant positive correlation between economic growth and public health.
Non-compliance for both the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act can result in strictly monitored business practices, fines for tracking and documenting violations, potential lawsuits and depending on the severity of the infraction, complete business shut-down could result.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is endorsed by the United
Nations for being the leading international body for the assessment of climate change, established by the United Nations Environment Programme and World Meteorological
Organization in 1988. The primary purpose of the IPCC is to provide the world with a clear scientific view on the current state of knowledge in climate change and its potential environmental and socio-economic impacts (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
7
Change). Due to the international nature of the IPCC, it does not conduct research or promote biases in findings, it solely reviews and addresses issues to help with the understanding of the impacts climate change has on global concerns. This data assists decision-makers, in the 195 countries that are members of IPCC, by supplying pertinent information about climate change history and potential future concerns.
Kyoto Protocol
Another United Nations contribution to climate change is the Kyoto Protocol, which is an international agreement which commits parties to agree to a set target of reduced emissions of 18% below 1990 levels in the time period from 2013 to 2020 (United
Nations). The Protocol shifts a large amount of the responsibility to developed nations that have a larger portion of emissions due to longer and more advanced industrial activity.
Renewable Portfolio Standard
In 2008, former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Renewable Portfolio
Standard (RPS) ambitiously added onto prior RPS Senate Bills to require “… [a]ll retail sellers of electricity shall serve 33% of their load with renewable energy by 2020.”
(California Energy Commission). Since then, there have been trickle down bills that are helping this initiative become reality including current Governor Edmund D. Brown Jr.’s milestone program of 20% of retails sales from renewable sources by the end of 2013,
25% by the end of 2016 and the final 33% compliance goal by the end of 2020
(California Energy Commission).
8
Solar Incentives
The majority of California residents and businesses would qualify for the California
Solar Initiative if they currently rely on PG&E or other investor-owned utilities and then
installed solar panels to offset their energy usage (Go Solar California). Incentives are
based on the performance of the solar panels installed and are available for standard
electricity usage, hot water use, low-income single families, multifamily affordable housing and grant programs for research and development (Go Solar California).
The relatively recent influx of acts, panels, protocols, standards and incentives is only
a taste of what is to come in terms of rules and regulations to try to curb the looming
climate crisis. It is in the best interest of corporations, schools, housing developers and
individuals alike to be ahead of the curve and start implementing emission reducing,
renewable energy solutions now. The cost of solar panels continue to drop because of
steadily improving technology, with the incentives available, there are fewer reason every
house, or apartment complex that qualifies shouldn’t have a set of solar panels on its
rooftop.
World-wide, solar energy processes are already being utilized on a comparatively
minimal scale. The sun has the potential to satisfy the global demand for energy
consumption if it were fully exploited, the limit to solar energy use is limited only by our
imagination and willingness to explore PV opportunities (Green Peace).
Humboldt State University Paving the Way
A concerted effort toward renewable energy utilization by HSU will result in long
term financial savings and associated environmental benefits. The current legal and
9
regulatory trends are going to make these alternative energy projects more likely and
eventually mandated for institutions like HSU.
The benefit to this type of project has many layers, the first would be to stay
ahead of inevitable forced compliance. Renewable energy is undoubtedly the way of the
future and provides exciting educational opportunities for all varieties of companies,
campuses or personal households. Implementing solar projects now will diminish a
stressful and costly catch-up plan later. Another benefit would be the attention HSU
would receive by being the first CSU to accomplish this type of project. The university
would become stewards for other campuses to pursue their own solar panel installations.
If all the CSU campuses significantly reduced their dependence on non-renewable energy sources, the likelihood of other institutions, both university, other large school districts and corporations, to convert to solar power would be in the near future. Humboldt State
University could become a proven leader in this kind of mass sustainability movement.
Student, faculty and staff recruitment and retention would improve and ultimately benefit
the community and surrounding area through the influx of jobs and consumer spending.
10
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Solar Panel Installation Project on HSU Campus
Determining if a large-scale solar panel installation project is financially feasible on
HSU’s campus will require an in-depth look at the average sunlight received and the
square footage available.
Table 2: Using the Solar Calculator on SolarEnergy.net for Arcata, CA: (Solar
Energy)
Solar Radiance 4.55 kWh/sq m/day Average usage (estimated 407,225 kWh/month $100,000/month) System Size 6,428.71 kW Roof Size 642,870 sq. ft. Estimated Cost $38,572,252.64 Post Incentive Cost $25,929567.46 Federal Tax Credit 30% Local Incentives Rebate $0.025 /kWh – 5 years (PG&E) 25 Year Savings $49,975,089.94 25 Year ROI 192.73% Break Even 15.88 years Current Carbon Dioxide Release 12,676,056 lbs/yr
The above table indicates a large amount of rooftop space needed to completely offset
HSU dependence on Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E). In 2004 HSU had approximately
1,301,458 gross square feet of building space, with a plan to create an additional 296,370 gross square feet in the upcoming years (Humboldt State University).
Factoring in multiple story buildings and some buildings that may not be structurally sound enough for solar panel placement, a conservative estimate of usable rooftop space
11
must be assessed. The analysis is limited to the following 11 buildings since the blueprints for the top story (if multiple) were available and the buildings were some of the largest on campus:
Table 3: HSU Campus Estimated Rooftop Infrastructure (Humboldt State University)
Building Building # Square Ft Art A & B 2A & 2B 12,210 Forestry 5 12,214 Founders Hall 6 16,997 Jenkins Hall 7 9,507 Jolly Giant Commons 62 3,211 Library 41 35,263 Music 8 12,210 Natural Resources 40 16,272 Science A 3ABC 16,817 Siemens Hall 1 17,112 Student Health Center 42 7,538 Total 159,531
This amount of infrastructure would not be enough to disconnect HSU from the grid,
but it would be a substantial step in the right direction. These 11 buildings would be able
to offset a little under 25% of HSU’s PG&E costs, but the system to install would also only cost 25% of what Table 1 portrays. By taking the route to install 25% of the needed
PV panels now, HSU would see a reduced break-even timeframe and would be able to invest in the next 25% or 50% of PVs.
The Impact of the Project
If this project were to be implemented at its full capacity, it would be equivalent to
reducing 14,046,595 miles an average car drives or planting 31,690 trees a year (Solar
12
Energy). Advantages of solar energy use include its ability to renew over and over again.
The earliest expected date the sun will burn out is 6.5 billion years according to NASA
(Odenwald). Solar energy is also readily available, abundant and sustainable. More energy from sunlight strikes the Earth in one hour than all the energy consumed on the planet in a year (US Department of Energy). In relative terms, compared to non- renewable energy sources, the process of capturing, converting and storing solar energy is more environmentally friendly. The emissions generated from manufacturing, transporting and installing solar panels are fractional compared to conventional energy
(Maehlum).
Costs and Incentives for Solar Projects
Despite the high upfront cost of solar panels, homeowners and business alike will save money with solar panel installation in the long-run. There are numerous ways to diminish and recuperate any upfront costs it takes to purchase and install solar panels.
Tax incentives and federal subsidies for solar energy production will give back a percentage of the cost at the end of the year the cost is incurred, or some companies, like
SunEdison that will install panels for free. In 2010, coal received $1,189 billion in federal subsidies and support for electricity production where solar is not far behind at $968 billion in federal subsidies (US Energy Information Administration). These figures not only promote solar use, but also instill a confidence in consumers from the government that solar is a highly supported form of energy and will continue to be. From the beginning of 2011 until June, 2014 the average price of a solar panel has declined by
60%, and since 1977 there has been a 99% price decrease (Pure Energies). In some areas,
13
you can even receive money if your solar panels are producing more energy then you use.
In 2011, the average Californian could have saved $34,260 over the conservative 20 year
life cycle of solar panels installed on their rooftops (Pure Energies).
The majority of the price reduction has to do with constantly improving technology.
The process of capturing the sun’s energy is becoming streamlined and more widely
accepted, thus lowering the costs as demand rises. After panels are installed they are
relatively low-maintenance, only requiring twice a year cleaning over their 20-25 year
life cycle (Pure Energies).
SunEdison
As mentioned before, the company SunEdison partners with schools to provide zero
capital investment for solar panel installation. SunEdison provides analysis, design, construction, certification, operation, financing, monitoring and maintenance services for their solar panels. With their capital investment, Humboldt State University could start saving money right away with a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) or will establish a lease agreement for the panels (SunEdison). With the PPA option, SunEdison owns the solar panels and the energy they create but would sell the energy to Humboldt State
University for a discounted rate, saving thousands of dollars annually. SunEdison’s
Client Connect database would give HSU access to the system performance and
environmental reports.
A common misconception is that solar panels will only be beneficial in places that
receive enough direct sunlight. Even if there are clouds in the sky, the sun rays are still
coming though and hitting the Earth’s surface. For example, America and Canada receive
14
3,900% more sunlight than Germany, but Germany captures 6,000% more solar energy
than America and Canada (Pure Energies). If America and Canada utilized solar power as
much as Germany, there are limitless possibilities to how it could change energy
consumption.
Arcata Demographics
For Humboldt County, and Arcata especially, a project of this size would generate
lots of attention from the university and community at large. In 2013, the population of
Arcata was 17,697 urban residents, with 7,353 of those being full-time students (City-
data). Arcata is more liberal politically, with 60% voting for the Democratic Party in the
2012 Presidential election and only 37.11% of the population claims to be affiliated with
religious congregations (City-data). On the Environmental Services section of the City of
Arcata’s website, the city encourages renewable energy wherever possible, they even
lead by example with two small solar projects they installed (City of Arcata). The total
kilowatts of their projects are 14.4, and they are both tied to the grid. The PV system that is located on City Hall has a real-time efficiency comparison component.
Concerns and Barriers
If a mid-size PV system was installed on the HSU campus, some of the concerns
would be a loss of habitat where the panels are installed (since it would be on the
rooftops the main concern would be birds), the potential for the community to see the
panels as an eyesore, and the hazardous material in making PV cells (hydrochloric acid,
sulfuric acid, nitric acid, hydrogen fluoride, 1,1,1-trichloroethane and acetone) can be
hazardous to the environment when they are disposed of (Georgetown University). There
15 are strong financial incentives in place for manufacturers to make sure solar panels are disposed of and most likely recycled at the end of their useful life. (Georgetown
University). Barriers to a project like this consist primarily of costs, legality issues and technology. When it comes to costs, the main decision is which financing route to take, the two options are to use SunEdison’s PPA plan or purchase the panels out right and own the structures. Legality issues arise when unexpected situations arise that haven’t been planned for or addressed in the planning phase of the project. One way to eliminate
HSU’s risk of being held liable for any legal problems would be to have SunEdison own and operate the PV panels, then they would have to answer to any issues about birds or if the panels reflection might disrupt planes if they are they in direct route to the airport?
Technology is constantly advancing and improving in the solar panel industry, some processes become simplified as other become more complex. Humboldt State University has the ability to do and incredible PV project that could revolutionize the renewable energy movement for the campus, community, CSU system and more, but technological restraints can be overwhelming. There’s a lot more to a PV project than just the panels, the wiring is the most complex part of the process and is usually the part of the system that holds up production and efficiency.
Plan Implementation (4 phases)
The current infrastructure of major 11 buildings will support 25% of estimated
PG&E use of the HSU campus. This figure allows for an easy breakdown of a four phase implementation process to fully rely on solar power. The success of the first phase will determine when to install the next 25% of the project. Numbers to consider when
16
analyzing the success of the project include the return on investment years, any incentives
available currently and if those same incentives might be available in 10-15 years when the final phases of the project are being considered.
17
DISCUSSION
As the title of this paper suggests, Humboldt State University has an opportunity to get completely off the power grid and become significantly more sustainable.
Assuming the completion of the solar panel installation project produces enough or more energy than HSU needs, it seems as though being hooked up to Pacific Gas and Electric
(PG&E) would be unnecessary. However, it would be recommended that HSU doesn’t completely sever ties with the power grid for several reasons. First, having a secondary source of energy is always a good idea. If for some reason several of the panels were damaged in a storm or unpredicted weather patterns reduced the amount of solar rays the panels could collet then the university would still need to utilize PG&E for power.
Another reason is that storage of energy is currently the most expensive part of a solar panel system. Energy harvested from panels can be stored in lithium-ion battery cells, such as Tesla’s Hyper X, but currently costs $300 per kilowatt hour to store (Bullis).
Similar trends are occurring with battery storage as with solar panels, the costs are steadily dropping as technology improves and demand rises. Phasing in an energy storage plan might be the best option for HSU, after the savings from solar panel installation project are abundant. Due to the seasonality nature of university campuses, being on the grid would allow the excess energy during the summer months to be sold back to PG&E.
The summer not only has the lowest amount of energy used, since most of the students are gone, but it also is the peak energy capturing months. Receiving an incentive from
18
PG&E is also a reason to stay connected to their power grid for at least five years. They will offer a rebate $0.025 /kWh for the first 5 years after solar panels are installed.
Examples of Solar Projects
The first example is about Georgetown University’s innovative Solar Street. On
April 11, 2013 Georgetown University completed their renewable energy sustainability project of solar panel installation on a section of a street on campus. The street was renamed Solar Street and Gary Guzy, deputy director and general counsel for the White
House Council on Environmental Quality spoke at the ceremony. Mr. Guzy said
“Georgetown is becoming a model for how universities across the country are seeing clean energy…sustainability can enhance the quality of community life, how it can save money, how it can be consistent with the university’s educational and research mission…” (Georgetown University).
The second example is when SunEdison provided the people of Georgetown
Texas with 150 Mega-watts of Solar Power (SunEdison). This town was willing to be part of SunEdison’s experimental project that consisted of construction of new solar plants in West Texas to supply the City of Georgetown with solar power for 25 years, enough for 24,000 homes. The project has the potential to create 800 jobs during construction and become a model for other cities with reduction of pollution, save water, stable energy prices without upfront costs.
SunEdison assumed all risks for the project that include not performing up to stated levels, regulations, incentives, general business and economic factors changing with seasonality of the industry and over extended life of the contract.
19
CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS OR SUMMARY
The 2012 Renewable Electricity Futures Study conducted by the National
Renewable Energy Laboratory predicted that 80% of the United States’ energy could be produced from renewable sources by 2050 with the technologies that are already in place
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory). A modified electric system would have to be
installed to ensure there was consistent energy available all over the country, but that cost
would be offset by the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental
upsides to not extracting fossil fuels. General public and ecosystem health would flourish
and stable employment opportunities would be created. The main missing factor is
government mandated policies and regulations to mandate a significant reduction in non-
renewable energy source reliance.
Renewable energy is the future of energy, Humboldt State University shouldn’t
get off the grid, but should invest in the process of utilizing solar energy more. Either
starting a phasing in process of PV panels or using a company like SunEdison, one way
or another, the energy from the sun should be captured and used to reduce HSU’s reliance
on non-renewable energy and be pioneers in the renewable energy movement.
20
REFERENCES OR LITERATURE CITED
1. Carty, S. (2008, July 15). Non Renewable Resources. Retrieved November 24, 2014, from http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Non_Renewable_Resources 2. Western Regional Climate Center. Mean Percent of Possible Sunshine. (2014). Retrieved November 24, 2014, from http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/htmlfiles/westcomp.sun.html 3. Maehlum, M. (2014, May 12). Solar Energy Pros and Cons - Energy Informative. Retrieved November 24, 2014, from http://energyinformative.org/solar-energy- pros-and-cons/ 4. Odenwald, S. (n.d.). NASA IMAGE satellite, Ask the Space Scientist Archive. Retrieved November 24, 2014, from http://image.gsfc.nasa.gov/poetry/ask/a10395.html 5. US Department of Energy. Basic Research Needs for Solar Energy Utilization. (2005, September). Retrieved November 25, 2014, from http://science.energy.gov/~/media/bes/pdf/reports/files/seu_rpt.pdf 6. Pure Energies. Pros and Cons of Solar Energy - Pure Energies. (n.d.). Retrieved November 25, 2014, from https://pureenergies.com/us/home-solar/how-solar- works/pros-and-cons-of-solar-energy/ 7. US Energy Information Admiration. Direct Federal Financial Interventions and Subsidies in Energy in Fiscal Year 2010. (2011, July). Retrieved November 25, 2014, from http://www.eia.gov/analysis/requests/subsidy/pdf/subsidy.pdf 8. Solar Energy Industries Association. What is Solar Power Anyway? (n.d.). Retrieved November 25, 2014, from http://www.seia.org/about/solar-energy 9. Redwood Energy Authority. RePower Humboldt. (n.d.). Retrieved November 25, 2014, from http://www.redwoodenergy.org/programs/repower 10. SunEdison. Solar for Schools and Universities. (n.d.). Retrieved November 25, 2014, from http://www.sunedison.com/wps/portal/memc/publicsector/schoolsuniversities 11. NASA. How do Photovoltaics Work? (2002). Retrieved November 26, 2014, from http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2002/solarcells/ 12. Solar Energy. Solar Calculator - Solar Energy. (n.d.). Retrieved November 26, 2014, from http://solarenergy.net/solar-tools/solar-calculator/ 13. Humboldt State University. Final Environmental Impact Report 2004 Master Plan Revision for Humboldt State University. (2004, October 1). Retrieved November 26, 2014, from http://www2.humboldt.edu/facilityplan/Downloads/master_plan/final_environme ntal_impact.pdf 14. Humboldt State University. (n.d.). Retrieved November 27, 2014, from http://www2.humboldt.edu/business/
21
15. Bullis, K. (2014, September 19). Solar City and Tesla Hatch a Plan to Lower the Cost of Solar Power. Retrieved December 23, 2014, from http://www.technologyreview.com/news/530816/solar-city-and-tesla-hatch-a- plan-to-lower-the-cost-of-solar-power/ 16. Humboldt State University (n.d.). Retrieved March 8, 2015, from http://www2.humboldt.edu/facilityplan/floor_plans.php 17. U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis. (2015, March 4). Retrieved March 15, 2015, from http://www.eia.gov/environment/emissions/state/state_emissions.cfm 18. LEED | U.S. Green Building Council. (2015). Retrieved March 15, 2015, from http://www.usgbc.org/leed 19. OpenStax CNX. (2015). Retrieved March 15, 2015, from http://cnx.org/ 20. United Nations Environment Program. Buildings and Climate Change. (2009). Retrieved March 15, 2015, from http://www.unep.org/ 21. Green Peace. Mining impacts. (2010, April 15). Retrieved March 15, 2015, from http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/climate- change/coal/Mining-impacts/ 22. Voorhar, R., & Myllyvirta, L. (2013, January 15). Point of No Return. Retrieved March 15, 2015, from http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/media- center/reports/Point-of-No-Return/ 23. Green Peace. Solar - Sunlight to Energy. (2009, August 20). Retrieved March 15, 2015, from http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/climate- change/solutions/solar 24. Mariano, J., & La Rovere, E. (1999). Environmental Impacts of the Oil Industry. Retrieved March 15, 2015, from http://www.eolss.net/sample-chapters/c08/e6- 185-18.pdf 25. Union of Concerned Scientists. Infographic: Climate Science vs. Fossil Fuel Fiction. (2015, March 16). Retrieved March 19, 2015, from http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/coal-and-other-fossil- fuels/infographic-climate-change-risks-natura-gas.html 26. National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Renewable Electricity Futures Study. (2014, September 9). Retrieved March 19, 2015, from http://www.nrel.gov.analysis/re_futures/ 27. United Sates Environmental Protection Agency. Summary of the Clean Water Act. (2015, March 13). Retrieved March 19, 2015, from http://www2.epa/gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-water-act 28. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Air Pollution and the Clean Air Act. (2013, August 15). Retrieved March 19, 2015, from http://www.epa.gov/air/caa/ 29. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Summary of the Clean Air Act. (2015, March 13). Retrieved March 19, 2015, from http://www2.epa/gov/laws- regulations/summary-clean-air-act
22
30. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Organization. (2015). Retrieved March 19, 2015, from http://www.ipcc.ch/organizaiton/organization.shtml 31. United Nations. Kyoto Protocol. (2014). Retrieved March 19, 2015, from http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/items/2830.phpn/organization.shtml 32. California Energy Commission. Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS). (2015, February 18). Retrieved March 19, 2015, from http://www.energy.ca.gov/portfolio 33. Go Solar California. About the California Solar Initiative (CSI) - Go Solar California. (2015). Retrieved March 19, 2015, from http://www.gosolarcalifornia.ca.gov/about/csi.php 34. Georgetown University. New Georgetown Solar Project Draws White House Attention. (2013, April 11). Retrieved April 10, 2015, from http://georgetown.edu/news/georgetown-solar-panel-project.html 35. SunEdison. SunEdison to Provide the People of Georgetown Texas with 150 Megawatts of Solar Power. (2015, March 18). Retrieved April 10, 2015, from http://finance.yahoo.com/news/sunedison-people-georgetown-texas-150- 113000210.html 36. Chapter 8 Measurement of Sunshine Duration. (2013). Retrieved July 3, 2015, from http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/IMOP/publications/CIMO- Guide/Provis2014Ed/Provisional2014Ed_P-I_Ch-8.pdf 37. Arcata, California. (2015). Retrieved July 3, 2015, from http://www.city- data.com/city/Arcata-California.html 38. Solar Energy. (2015). Retrieved July 3, 2015, from http://www.cityofarcata.org/departments/environmental-services/energy/city- energy-projects/solar-energy