By Ariel Stater
Interaction
Mason spends between $9 to $10 million in energy costs each year between the Fairfax, SciTech and Arlington campuses, with 40% of the energy consumption going towards academic buildings, 40% towards auxiliary buildings, and the remaining 20% towards housing. From lights to computer usage to air conditioning, students are almost always engaged in human-environmental interactions while on campus. Considering the engagement between students and energy use, solar energy would be a huge step in reducing both the students’ individual carbon footprints as well as Mason’s overall carbon footprint. In fact, one hour of noontime summer sun is equal to the annual U.S. electricity demand. The installation of rooftop photovoltaic panels would help to further Mason’s goal of becoming climate neutral by 2050.
Resource Characteristics
Building energy and transportation account for 80% of Mason’s emissions combined. The consequences of using fossil fuels for electricity are, of course, pollution. Electric power generation can offset the natural balance of nitrogen in the environment. Solar energy systems, however, have minimal effects on the environment and do not produce air pollutants or carbon dioxide. Considering the amount of energy necessary to keep a university running year-round (in Mason’s case, 805,684 MMBTU was consumed in the fiscal year of 2017), a total switch to renewable energy would greatly minimize Mason’s impact on the environment and local ecosystems. Each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of solar energy produced will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Economic Settings
Although Mason has not implemented large scale solar projects due to the current markets, it is significant to note that the average cost of construction for the generation of solar energy in the US continues to fall. The average construction costs for electricity generators fell nearly 50% between 2013 and 2018, from $3750 dollars for kilowatt to $1848 dollars for kilowatt, and the costs have continued to fall since.
Major incentives for the switch to solar energy include financial returns and less money spent on utility bills. Tax credit is also available under the Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which provides a 30% tax credit for the installation of solar systems on residential property. Schools cannot typically directly take advantage of the solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) fund, but they can partner with solar developers who will develop and maintain the system in exchange for payments under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) or solar lease. With PPAs, schools typically pay less for kilowatt and save, on average, 10% on their utility bills. The school then has the option to purchase the system at fair market value after 15-20 years.
What Can We Do?
Although students may take small actions to limit energy use (such as turning off lights not in use or limiting thermostat temperatures), ultimately, the best action to take is for Mason to convert to renewable energy so that students can power their lives with sustainable energy. As such, the program ArcGIS was used to estimate the potential for solar energy on Mason’s campus. As solar energy has limitations such as time of day, season, weather conditions, terrain angle, sunlight duration, and air quality, these conditions were analyzed in order to decide on the best location, economically, for the installation of rooftop photovoltaic panels. It was determined that the best rooftop for installation is that of the Shenandoah parking deck, specifically on the side facing York River Road .
Is The University Acting?
Mason purchased renewable energy credits (RECs) as part of Mason’s 2010 Climate Action Plan, which allows for electricity to be delivered to the grid from a renewable energy source, and further RECs are purchased for new construction projects when appropriate. Although Mason has looked into large-scale renewable energy projects, only small solar installations have been implemented. Mason has set a goal of becoming climate neutral by 2050.
References
Energy and Buildings FAQ. George Mason University. Retrieved 14 October 2022, from https://green.gmu.edu/energy-and-buildings-faq/
Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). US EPA. 25 February 2022. https://www.epa.gov/green-power-markets/renewable-energy-certificates-recs
The Sources and Solutions: Fossil Fuels. US EPA. 31 January 2022. https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/sources-and-solutions-fossil-fuels
Average U.S. construction costs for solar and wind generation continue to fall. US EIA. 16 September 2020. https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=45136
Benefits of Residential Solar Electricity. US Department of Energy. Retrieved 18 October 2022, from https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/benefits-residential-solar-electricity
SCF News. Solar PPAs/ITC Help Universities and Schools Benefit From Solar. Sustainable Capital Finance. Retrieved 21 October 2022, from
https://scf.com/solar-news/solar-ppasitc-universities-schools-benefit-solar/