The U.S. Energy Department has launched a new video series titled “Clean Energy in Our Community” in order to showcase small communities leading the way when it comes to sustainability.
The first video in the series is from Luther College, highlighting how the school has benefitted the town of Decorah, Iowa by reducing its energy consumption and installing renewable energy projects on campus. The college recently installed a 1.6 megawatt wind turbine and established a 280 KW solar field to power its 100 resident student housing building which is heated and cooled using geothermal energy. The Luther College Board of Regents and Office of Sustainability has a goal of reducing its carbon footprint by 50 percent by 2015 and becoming fully carbon neutral by 2030 with additional energy efficiency and production upgrades.
“To work toward carbon neutrality, the college will evaluate additional major initiatives, including investments in LED lighting technology, centralized or decentralized cogeneration of electricity and heat, as well as more use of solar thermal and solar electric technologies,” said Luther College President Richard Torgerson.
The DOE is partnering with and supporting local communities in their energy endeavors in order to encourage other locales to increase investments in clean energy technologies and efficiency projects. “’Clean Energy in Our Community’ will highlight small communities around the country working to promote clean renewable energy initiatives and how our colleges and universities in particular play a critical role in shaping our communities and driving America’s clean energy economy,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu.
When I went to college, environmental issues were never even mentioned. It’s great to see colleges taking the initiative to do everything they can to make for a clean energy future.
Check out the video from Luther College:
[via DOE]
Image Credit: Luther College