Local Impact, National Influence, Global Reach

UC San Diego:
One of the
Greenest
Universities
 Local Impact, National Influence, Global Reach

Greenest U energy plan -- UC San Diego launched one of the largest renewable energy
programs on a university campus. Solar photovoltaic, biogas fuel cells and a wind energy swap
will produce nearly 8 megawatts of green energy. And, the program won’t cost the university a
dime – except to purchase the power. All construction, operations and maintenance are
financed by third-party investors. All projects are expected to fully implemented by September
2009. Unique solar trees have been planted on top of UC San Diego parking structures.
 Local Impact, National Influence, Global Reach

Rooftop solar -- UC San Diego is installing at least two megawatts of solar

photovoltaic on campus buildings. One megawatt is underway and the second is in
negotiations. The university’s solar photovoltaic has a very high solar conversion rate of
16 percent.
 Local Impact, National Influence, Global Reach

Largest university fuel cell – UC San Diego is building the largest fuel cell project
on a university campus and the only fuel cells powered by biogas. Waste methane
from the San Diego sewage treatment plant will be captured and transported to the
campus, where it will fuel 2.8 megawatt fuel cells. The fuel cells will also produce
320 tons of air conditioning capacity and may create hydrogen fuel as a byproduct.
UC San Diego will receive millions of dollars in fuel cell incentives from the state to
build the largest energy storage system on a university campus.
 Local Impact, National Influence, Global Reach

Unique wind swap – In a first-of-its-kind project, UC San Diego is procuring up

to 3 megawatts of wind power by throttling back its gas-powered cogeneration
plant in the middle of the night and buying wind energy from California wind
farms instead. Wind power is often plentiful and cheap in the middle of the
night, when demand is low but production is high. This will be the first project to
take full advantage of California wind farms’ nighttime productivity.
 Local Impact, National Influence, Global Reach

The birth of climate change science – Charles David Keeling, a scientist at Scripps
Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, began measuring carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere in 1958. Within a few years, he found that manmade greenhouse gases
were inexorably building up. The Keeling Curve has become an icon of modern climate
change science – and a harbinger of the global threat we now all face.
 Local Impact, National Influence, Global Reach

New causes of climate change – V. Ramanathan, atmospheric scientist

at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, found that black
carbon soot from the burning of wood and other biomass has a global
warming effect four times greater than previously believed. Ramanathan,
who uses aerial sensors to test for soot, also has advanced scientific
understanding of atmospheric brown clouds that spread out from
continents and impact global climate change.
 Local Impact, National Influence, Global Reach

Energy of the future – Researchers at UC San Diego are advancing the

science of biofuels beyond corn-based ethanol, which is prevalent but
problematic. Creating biofuel from algae and celluosic biomass such as
wood chips and crop stubble, UC San Diego scientists are producing the
next generation of fuels that won’t harm the food supply or the
environment like corn ethanol.
 Local Impact, National Influence, Global Reach

Enhancing solar power -- Electrical engineers at UC San Diego have created solar
cells spiked with nanowires to develop highly efficient thin-film solar cells of the
future. Other engineers are working on new ways to transport and distribute solar
energy in an optical form along optical fiber before final conversion and usage.
 Local Impact, National Influence, Global Reach

Biofuel lab to market – UC San Diego scientists are involved in ventures that
take research on biofuels and other sustainable innovations from the lab to
market, where they can become commercial fuel for cars, trucks and other
transportation. Sapphire Energy, which is creating renewable, high-octane
gasoline from algae, includes two UC San Diego scientists on its team of
scientific advisers. Another UC San Diego scientist is working with industry to
build a reactor that will turn forest, urban and agricultural biomass waste into
fuel.
 Local Impact, National Influence, Global Reach

Saving energy through IT – Information Technology in the U.S. has the same carbon
footprint as the airlines industry. UC San Diego has taken a world-leading role in saving
energy at data centers. It’s the only university member of the Green Grid, a global
organization for energy efficiency in IT. UC San Diego just signed the first ever international
agreement among universities to work together on energy reduction in computer centers.
The new wing of the San Diego Supercomputer Center is a test bed for green
cyberinfrastructure, including a natural ventilation system and a solar reflecting roof to
dissipate heat, creating a building that is 50 percent more energy efficient that California
standards require.
 Local Impact, National Influence, Global Reach

Green classrooms – With more than 200 courses and several majors and minors focused on
environmental sustainability, UC San Diego students train for a future in the green economy and
engage in research into sustainable solutions. In a collaborative project among faculty, students and
staff, chemistry students get used cooking oil from dining halls and recycle it into biofuels. Photo
courtesy of USA Today.
 Local Impact, National Influence, Global Reach

Green dedication – UC San Diego has 83 environmental student

organizations, a clear sign that students here take environmental sustainability
very seriously. One collaborative project by students and university staff is
composting from dining halls. Dining staff separate compostables from food
waste, which students take to the compost piles on campus that they maintain.
The final product is used on vegetable gardens planted and tended by
students.
 Local Impact, National Influence, Global Reach

Green living – Students lounge on furniture made of recycled materials.

UC San Diego is building $500 million in new student housing that will be
minimum LEED Silver Certified. The university has adopted sustainable
practices for existing housing such as retrofitting with low-energy lighting
and communicating with students only via email to reduce paper waste.
New student housing will include rooftop solar, passive cooling instead of
air conditioning, porous paving to reduce runoff and individual electric
meters for each housing unit.
 Local Impact, National Influence, Global Reach

Largest microclimate monitoring system – Engineering students and faculty

erected more than two dozen microclimate monitoring stations around the campus in
the largest project of its kind to find out the temperature, wind speed, humidity and
other weather factors on a real-time basis. This information is used to make changes
in air conditioning and ventilation in campus buildings in order to save energy. The
data also will be used for planning and constructing new energy-saving buildings.
 Local Impact, National Influence, Global Reach

Riding the Greenline – Another collaborative project among students, faculty,

administration and industry is the new Greenline bus shuttle, a 100 percent biofuels
bus. A student environmental group, Biofuels Action and Awareness Network,
conceived of the project; Caterpillar donated the engine; UC San Diego Fleet
Services is operating and maintaining the shuttle service; and students and faculty
are testing emissions, engine performance and other factors.
 Local Impact, National Influence, Global Reach

Cleaner commuting – More than half of commuters to UC San Diego use

transportation alternatives to single occupancy vehicles – in Southern California! That
includes using bikes, carpools, buses, motorcycles and hybrid flex cars. The number of
green commuters rose 5 percent in one year from 2007 to 2008. UC San Diego has an
aggressive program to promote alternative transportation.