4>EPA
GREEN
POWER
PARTNER
About the Green Power
Partnership
The Green Power Partnership is a voluntary
program sponsored by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
that encourages organizations to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions by purchasing
electricity produced from renewable
resources such as solar, wind, geothermal,
biomass, and low-impact hydro.
The Green Power Partnership program
helps organizations:
• Identify the types of green power
products that align with their goals
• Lower the costs of buying green power
• Reduce their carbon footprint
• Gain positive attention and credibility for
improving environmental performance
What does it take to be green-powered?
To be considered "green-powered," at least
3 percent of the annual electricity
purchased must come from renewable
sources. Purchasing more than 30 percent
puts your school in the leadership category.
Learn More
For more information, please visit:
www.epa.gov/greenpower
v>EPA
OnCampus eccMmbassadors
Green Power Partnership OnCampus
Goals of the Green Power Partnership OnCampus Program
• Reduce your school's greenhouse gas emissions
• Increase awareness on campus about the benefits of green power
• Raise funds to purchase green power from renewable energy sources
• Lead your school to become an EPA Green Power Partner
If You're Interested In:
• Gathering and analyzing data about energy use on your campus
• Calculating electricity loads and renewable energy requirements
• Setting renewable energy purchase goals
• Working with your student government and campus administration
The Green Power Partnership OnCampus is the program for you!
How to Get Started
Making your campus "green-powered" begins with conducting research to:
• Learn how much electricity is being used from non-renewable sources
• Identify a reasonable goal for the percentage of the electricity load to be
purchased as green power
• Calculate the total annual cost of the green power purchase
• Estimate an appropriate annual fee to be assessed on each student
Your research will help decision-makers on your campus choose the best
options for buying green power. At this point you will:
• Coordinate with your student government to institute the student fee
• Assist your administration with joining the EPA Green Power Partnership
See page 2 for a step-by-step checklist for
the Green Power Partnership OnCampus.
Campus Success
The University of Pennsylvania (Penn)is using its purchase of green power as an
opportunity to demonstrate environmental leadership. Penn became the nation's
largest non-governmental purchaser of wind power on Earth Day 2003 when it
announced that it would double its wind power purchase, the highest nationally at
that time, to 40 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually. In 2008, Penn increased its
renewable energy certificate purchase to over 190 million kWh. Penn is funding its
historic wind power purchases with savings achieved through aggressive energy
conservation. Over the past few years, Penn reduced peak electric demand by 18
percent. By purchasing green power, Penn is protecting the environment, engaging
local stakeholders, and ensuring a more sustainable future.
The Green Power Partnership OnCampus program is ideal for students pursuing degrees in:
Business, Environmental Science, Engineering, and Public Policy
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Checklist for the Green Power Partnership OnCampus
Follow the steps below to make your campus, or building, green-powered.
Q 1. How much non-renewable power is being used on your campus?
Find the facilities person responsible for the electricity bills. Confirm that renewable
energy is not currently being purchased. In order to determine how much green
power you'll need to buy, start by finding out the current electricity load in kilowatt
hours (kWh) of the campus (or building or entity) you are targeting. Askfor 12 months
of electrical bills-or at least 6 months so you can estimate a year's usage. Keep in
mind that air conditioning and heat are energy "hogs," so you'll want to include
numbers for extreme seasons.
A. Annual electricity use: kilowatt hours (kWh)
Q 2. How much green power do you want to purchase?
Determine the percentage of annual electricity use that your campus wants to
purchase as green power.
B. Goal: %of the annual electricity use
C. Amount of green power to purchase: kWh (A x B)
Q 3. How much will the green power purchase cost?
Calculate the estimated cost of the green power using the average cost of buying
1 kWh of green power. Visitwww.epa.gov/greenpower/pubs/gplocator.htm to
identify green power products available in your area and the price per kWh for each.
D. Average cost of green power: $ per kWh
E. Annual green power purchase cost: $ (C x D)
Q 4. How much will each student need to pay?
Divide the cost of the annual green power purchase by the number of students.
Note: if you are converting the entire school to green power, you may be able to
divide the green power purchase cost by the total number of students, but if you are
converting a dorm, you may only charge current or future dorm residents.
F. Entity for which you are buying green power:
G. Number of students per year for the entity: students per year
H. Annual cost of green power per student: $ per student (E / G)
Add this information into your campus presentation using the template provided by
the OnCampus team and load your presentation into the OnCampus Connector.
Q 5. How can the student fee be instituted?
You have enough research and information to approach the student government and
your campus administrators! Remember, by using renewable energy at your school,
you are reducing your school's greenhouse gas emissions which cause climate change.
Use your campus presentation as "talking points" - that is, information for you to share
with others during meetings with students and administrators.
Q 6. How do you purchase green power?
Once the student government agrees to collect the student fee, your work is done!
Return to the facilities office, and have them contact the EPA Green Power Partnership
to help make the green power purchase, and to become an EPA partner!
s»EPA
GREEN
POWER
PARTNER
Estimating Annual Electricity Use
If you can't obtain the actual electricity
amounts, usage can be estimated using
the square footage of the building and a
national average for commercial
buildings.
Total square footage
.ft2
National average
x 14.9kHw/ft2
Annual electricity use =
.kWh
EPA Green Power Requirements
After January 1,2011, EPA Green Power
Partners must purchase a minimum
percentage of green power based on their
annual electricity use.
Annual
Electricity Use
> 1 00,000,001 kWh
10,000,001 -
1 00,000,000 kWh
1,000,001-
1 0,000,000 kWh
<1, 000,000 kWh
Minimum
Purchase
3% of total use
5% of total use
10% of total use
20% of total use
EPA OnCampus Connector
The Connector is an online collaboration
forum for OnCampus ecoAmbassadors to
discuss ideas, post documents, and share
successes. Access the online forum at:
https://epaoncampus.groupsite.com/login
EPA Contact Info
EPA Green Power Program Contact
Blaine Collison
(202)343-9139
collison.blaine@epa.gov
EPA OnCampus Team
EPAOnCampus@epa.gov
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