Support a Zero Carbon Campus for UON
Bring the Callaghan Campus to 100% usage of renewable energy by 2020
A new sustainable future of 100% renewable electricity for the Callaghan campus of the University of Newcastle can happen.
A feasibility study of the proposal to convert the Callaghan campus to 100% use of renewable energy by 2020 was carried out for University Committee for Environmental Sustainability. This determined that it is both technically feasible and financially beneficial to implement 100% renewable electricity.
Achievement of this goal by 2020 would place the University of Newcastle as a leader in Sustainability and Energy Management across the Australian tertiary sector; would stimulate research and teaching in renewable energy; and drive new student enrolments across all Faculties with young people attracted to learn at the greenest and most innovative University in Australia.
This proposal fits strongly with the current moves to make Callaghan campus a Smart Campus, with its vision of integrated research and teaching in the critical area of frontier energy technologies, and with the recently established Hunter Energy Transition Alliance.
It is proposed that this target will be achieved by:
With a healthy return on investment of approximately 8 percent, finance for this cost-neutral project has a payback time of around 10 years. It is proposed that the significant cost savings from over a 50 percent reduction of grid energy use and income from generated Large Renewable Energy Certificates would repay the loan in line loan arrangements provided by the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. The First State Super Fund has also indicated interest in a role in this project.
These implementations would result in a substantial lowering of overall energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, create energy security for the University through minimising energy purchased externally and also produce an income stream from the Large Renewable Energy Certificates generated.
A feasibility study of the proposal to convert the Callaghan campus to 100% use of renewable energy by 2020 was carried out for University Committee for Environmental Sustainability. This determined that it is both technically feasible and financially beneficial to implement 100% renewable electricity.
Achievement of this goal by 2020 would place the University of Newcastle as a leader in Sustainability and Energy Management across the Australian tertiary sector; would stimulate research and teaching in renewable energy; and drive new student enrolments across all Faculties with young people attracted to learn at the greenest and most innovative University in Australia.
This proposal fits strongly with the current moves to make Callaghan campus a Smart Campus, with its vision of integrated research and teaching in the critical area of frontier energy technologies, and with the recently established Hunter Energy Transition Alliance.
It is proposed that this target will be achieved by:
- ENERGY EFFICIENCY: Reducing the energy usage on campus by energy efficiency. The installation of energy efficiency replacements for refrigerators, lights, hot water, etc. could save over 20% of annual usage.
- SOLAR PV: Installation of up to 12MW of solar photovoltaic panels capable of generating up to 17.5 gigawatt hours per year (GWh pa) of electricity on the rooftops and grounds of the Callaghan campus and installation of 5MWh battery storage systems. Installation of such solar electricity and storage has the capacity to supply up to 85% of the daytime electricity requirements of the campus with the possibility of supplying excess energy generated to the grid and to battery storage for use during night time hours
- GREEN POWER: Purchase of green power for the remaining unfulfilled energy requirements.
With a healthy return on investment of approximately 8 percent, finance for this cost-neutral project has a payback time of around 10 years. It is proposed that the significant cost savings from over a 50 percent reduction of grid energy use and income from generated Large Renewable Energy Certificates would repay the loan in line loan arrangements provided by the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. The First State Super Fund has also indicated interest in a role in this project.
These implementations would result in a substantial lowering of overall energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, create energy security for the University through minimising energy purchased externally and also produce an income stream from the Large Renewable Energy Certificates generated.
Solar Panels installed on the IDC building
Moving your campus Smartly to 100% renewable energy
Presented at the 2016 ACTS Conference, "Moving your campus Smartly to 100% renewable energy" presents the 100% Renewable Energy Callaghan Campus by 2020 Feasibility Study in an unrestricted format with potential commercially sensitive information removed. N.B. UoX in the document refers to University of Newcastle. The document can also be accessed from the conference proceedings webpage http://www.acts.asn.au/conference-proceedings/ or as attached below.
| moving-your-campus-smartly-to-100-percent-renewable-energy.pdf |
First Solar Panels installed at Callaghan Campus at the IDC Centre
|
Solar Inverter at IDC Centre
|
Solar Panels on the Sir Llew Edwards Building (UQ)
Achieving 100% renewable electricity at your workplace
Presented at the Students of Sustainability 2017 Conference held at Tighes Hill TAFE, Newcastle on 3 July 2017. The presentation can be viewed or downloaded below.
| sos_achieving_100_percent_renewable_electricity_at_your_workplace_20170703.pdf |
Tools used:
LG Solar Calculator “Solar System based on roof size” - utilises Google Earth to estimate number of solar panels and solar capacity
Sunulator - simulation tool developed by The Alternative Technology Association that can be used to plan a grid-connected solar/battery project
OEH Energy Efficient Lighting Technology Report - provides recommended replacements, costs and payback periods for lighting
