Energy Initiatives

Energy Initiatives at Wesleyan:
    Curtailment, Conservation, Efficiency, and Renewable Energy

We’ve Done It

Listed below are green initiatives that have been implemented.

 

Initiative

Notes

1 Energy management system monitors and manages energy consumption.
  • Able to load shed on command 1.4 Megawatts which earns approx. $100,000 in annual energy credits
  • Load sheds regularly to manage energy
  • Reduced kW consumption from 4.5 megawatts in 2002 to 3.5 megawatts in 2006 even with new buildings being brought on line, through conservation, load shedding and Power Plant management
  • Through conservation reduced 2005/2006 electrical consumption by 4.5%
  • Completed more than 29 energy management projects in 3 years with average return on investment of 1.8 years
  • Total costs = $641,000
  • Rebates = $136,000
  •  Annual energy savings ≈ $275,000
 
2 In Spring 2008, Wesleyan purchased 2,000 compact fluorescent lamp bulbs (CFLs) and several students traveled to the dormitories on campus replacing incandescent bulbs with the new, energy-saving bulbs. Thanks to Josh Wood '10 and Miles Bukiet '11 for taking the initiative.  

 

3 Senior woodframe houses are engaged in the Do It in the Dark Energy Competition! The competition compares and ranks monthly energy usage between houses and the winning houses receive a gift certificate to a local restaurant. The program was initiated by EON and is now maintained by the Sustainability Interns.  

 

4 Installed a Photo Voltaic solar panel system on Office of Admissions.
http://live.deckmonitoring.com/?id=wesleyan&cycle=20 for a live dashboard of its production!
 
5 Cogeneration facility now completed and running will reduce Green House Gas emissions by the equivalent of 1290 cars from New England Highways or by planting 2064 acres of forest.  
6 Installed kW Photo Voltaic panels on 19 Fountain Avenue.  
7 Completed a Phase 3 energy/water savings program to be implemented during the summer of 2011 to save approximately 15 million gallons of water per year!  

 

We’re Working On It

Listed below are suggestions that have been assigned to a person or office to plan a solution.

 

Initiative

Status

1 Lantern Energy as of March 2011, have completed half of Wesleyan's home energy audits. 100 privately owned houses for Wesleyan's faculty and staff also took advantage of this wonderful program.  Lantern Energy has been approved by United Illuminating and Connecticut Light & Power to provide home energy assessments and the installation of energy efficient measures for homeowners through the Home Energy Solutions (HES) program, one of several innovative solutions offered by the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund  (CEEF).  
2 200kW of Photo Voltaic panels on Freeman Athletic Center roof and parking lot.  
3 GZA GeoEnvironmental proposed geotherm sites across campus!  click here to view the 11/8/10 final draft.  

 

We’re Getting to It

Listed below are initiatives that are in the evaluation stage to determine the best way to accomplish them.

 

Initiative

Status

1    


Energy
| Green Building | Transportation | Procurement | Recycling and Waste

Send us suggestions for green initiatives at sustainability@wesleyan.edu.

Back to Energy at Wesleyan