Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

U. Massachusetts researches new methods of energy conservation
By Susan King
Massachusetts Daily Collegian (U. Massachusetts)
01/29/2007

(U-WIRE) AMHERST, Mass. — With the looming threat of global warming, soaring fuel prices and a larger pollution-conscience population, consumers are searching for energy efficient alternatives, and the University of Massachusetts has been heavily active in supporting those demands.

The University of Massachusetts Renewable Energy Resource Lab (RERL) constructed the Commonwealth's second largest turbine in 1994. However, the 250 kW turbine is currently standing unused, according to Jim Manwell, the RERL director.

In addition to exploring wind power, UMass is working hard and pouring over $26 million a year into conservation efforts.

"We are doing a lot," said Robert Francis, Associate Vice Chancellor of Facilities and Campus Planning. "There has already been improvement and we look forward to more improvement in the future."

Throughout the entire campus, steam lines have been repaired, buildings have been fixed to ensure heat retainment, and energy-guzzling machines have been replaced with more efficient ones. According to Francis, space has increased over the past year by three percent with the introduction of the North Residential Area. Despite the increase, there have been substantial decreases in energy use: the use of steam is down 24 percent, and electricity is down a total of 9 percent.

The Whitmore Administration Building uses 50 percent less electricity than a year ago. The decrease is created by the installation of variable frequency drives on cooling fans, though the building is at full capacity, fan speeds are able to be run at 80 percent of their total power, leaving the building comfortable and creating a sizeable reduction in electricity.

The largest energy decrease is seen in water consumption, with the addition of low flow devices and improved usage. The University is using 40 percent less water than a year ago. This is largely due to the new Reclaimed Water Treatment Plant (RWTP). The RWTP takes treated wastewater from the Town of Amherst and uses it in boilers to create steam and provide condenser water for coolers. The process could potentially save $400,000 in fuel and water costs as well as reclaim 9 million cubic feet of water, according to Francis.

Photovoltaic, or solar energy, is currently being used to power the lights in the Mullins Center parking lot. Solar energy is hard to use in larger structures because, Francis said, it is expensive to install the panels and is difficult to generate large amounts of electricity. However, it makes sense in a parking lot because it does not require installing power lines and connecting them to every light, making solar power more cost effective.

Education and awareness is another way UMass is working to conserve energy. Last year, MassPIRG held the "Residential Hall Energy Competition," which encouraged students to save as much energy as possible during a three-week period by shutting off lights and computers when not in use, taking shorter showers and not leaving the water running. Suggestions are also included on the Housing and Residence Life Web site. The Web site also includes energy facts: It states that a computer left on 24 hours a day costs over $65 and releases up to 1,500 pounds of CO2 into the air.

In October, UMass was awarded the Massachusetts Environment Purchasing and Sustainability Award.

The award was in recognition of water conservation initiatives, purchasing programs for locally grown produce and seafood from sustainable sources and environmentally friendly cleaning practices.

Massachusetts, along with about 15 other states, is offering tax incentives for residents who install renewable energy sources, such as solar or wind power, in their homes. Residents are qualified to receive up to $1,000 in income tax credit, according to the Massachusetts Division of Energy Resources Web site. Also, the sale of equipment directly relating to any solar, wind or heat pump system, which will be used to as the primary power system in a resident's home, is exempt from sales tax.

Tax incentives are just one of the ways the state is trying to do its part to conserve energy. Wind power has become an attractive form of renewable energy because of the windy coastline in the east and the exposed hills and mountain ridges of western and central Massachusetts.

The Nantucket Sound project, a controversial proposal from Cape Wind to construct 130,417-foot turbines on Horseshoe Shoal, 13 miles off the coast, could potentially produce 420 megawatts of energy, enough energy to provide electricity to three quarters of the Cape and Islands, according to Cape Wind officials. Lawmakers have remained divided on the issue because of navigational and ecological issues. Currently, the United States Coast Guard and Department of Defense have been given authority to determine if the planned construction would interfere with radar systems.

The largest alternative energy project for the Greater Boston area is the 600 kilowatt wind turbine located in Hull. Since its first day of operation on Dec. 17, 2001, the town has saved approximately enough money to cover the cost of streetlights for the town, or about $50,000 a year. The 150-foot tall turbine, the largest commercial wind turbine on the east coast, is able to generate 1.5 million kilowatt-hours per year.

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