Energy

Efficient energy use reduces Colorado State's total energy demand, decreases harmful emissions, and minimizes the cost of providing energy to the campus. As a result of energy conservation initiatives that have been implemented over the past twenty years, the average demand per square foot on campus has actually flattened out and is currently showing little growth.

Remember - The greenest kilowatt-hour is the one we never use (Walter Simpson).

Maxwell Ranch Wind Farm

The Colorado State University Research Foundation signed an agreement with Wind Holdings, LLC to develop a minimum of twenty-five wind turbines with the potential of 200 megawatts on the University's 11,000-acre Maxwell Ranch near the Wyoming border.

Currently, at peak demand, Colorado State uses about 16 megawatts of power. The excess power generated could produce an additional $30 million in revenue for the University over the twenty-five year life of the project.

Biomass Boiler at Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology Laboratory

A biomass boiler heating plant has been installed on the Foothills Campus to reduce the university's greenhouse gas emissions and cut energy costs. The fuel cost will be approximately one-half the cost of natural gas, resulting in a savings of approximately $60,000 in utility costs annually at CSU. Biomass is a significant step in achieving lower greenhouse gas emissions because using energy from biomass eliminates the need for fossil fuel-based energy sources and prevents rotting trees from being burned during wildfires or prescribed burning.

To learn more about this system, please refer to the Biomass Fact Sheet .

Solar Panel Project Helps Power Engineering Building

Colorado State has partnered with the Governor's Energy Office to install photovoltaic cells on the Engineering Building overlooking the Plaza as a cost-saving measure that will also serve research purposes. The 18.9 kilowatt solar array is expected to produce 27,000 kilowatt hours per year and will reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of the Engineering Building by 20 metric tons per year. The panels will also serve an educational purpose by giving students the opportunity to study the hardware and data from the PV system and learn about the potential benefits of larger renewable energy systems.

Visit the media gallery to see pictures of this project.

Yates Hall Energy Reduction

Staff from Facilities Management worked together with occupants of Yates Hall to optimize ventilation for safety and energy efficiency. The result was a 26% decrease in the electric use of the building.

Renewable Energy

In 2004, Colorado State became one of the first universities in the nation to offer on-campus residents the option to purchase green power. Over 900 students have signed up for this option since then. In addition to green power purchased by students, CSU has also purchased green power for several buildings on campus.

Based on national average emissions rates, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that Colorado State's total purchase of over 7,000,000 kWh is equivalent to keeping more than 12,000,000 pounds of CO2 from entering the Earth's atmosphere over the next year. That amount is equivalent to eliminating CO2 emissions associated with the use of nearly 650,000 gallons of gasoline annually or the elimination of CO2 emissions from the electricity use of over 800 average American homes for one year.

Vending Misers

The University retrofitted refrigerated vending machines containing non-perishable food items with energy saving controllers in 2006. These vending machines ran constantly to keep refrigerated drinks cold, costing Colorado State at least $24,000/yr. The controllers, called vending misers, use an infrared occupancy sensor to turn off the fluorescent lights and compressor when the surrounding area is unoccupied for fifteen minutes or longer, saving the University over $4,300/yr and decreasing CO2 emissions by more than 115 tons/yr. More than half of the cost of this project was covered by rebates provided by the City of Fort Collins.

South College Gym and Fieldhouse Lights

Colorado State changed indoor and outdoor lights at South College Gym to more energy efficient bulbs, which will save approximately $4,500/yr. The Platte River Power Authority and the City of Fort Collins helped to fund this project by providing the University with rebates to cover over one-third of the cost.

Steam Turbine

In October 2005, an 800 kW steam turbine generator was added to the Main Campus central heating plant. This turbine allows the University to take advantage of previously lost energy in order to produce electricity that will meet 5% of the campus peak electrical load. By producing a portion of its own renewable energy, the Colorado State saves over $260,000 and reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 2,600 tons each year.

Veterinary Teaching Hospital Retrofit

Colorado State replaced all of the lights at the VTH with more efficient fluorescent lamps and ballasts. The project was partially funded by the Platte River Power Authority and the City of Fort Collins, and is anticipated to save the University over $22,000/yr.