Clean renewable energy at Harvard

Harvard University announced November 2nd that more than 10 percent of the electricity consumed on its Cambridge and Allston campuses soon will be supplied from a wind farm in northern Maine. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, this agreement will make Harvard the largest purchaser of wind power by a university or college in New England.

In the spring of 2009, Harvard Real Estate Services (HRES) installed solar thermal collectors at two of our residential properties - 472-474 Broadway and 20-20a Prescott Street. Heat collected by the panels is used to supplement the boilers in heating the buildings’ hot water.

Imagine a flat, black, south-facing roof the size of three football fields. What comes to mind? If you’re in a green mood, the answer is: “solar!”

The six solar thermal panels on top of Blackstone North are up and running. Unlike photovoltaic panels which generate electricity, the solar thermal system generates domestic hot water for all of Blackstone, home of University Operations Services. Inside each panel, fluid circulates through tubing and is heated by the sun.

In August 2007, FAS installed an 10.8 kW building integrated photovoltaic system on the Science Center roof. The system's performance is available online.

Ground source heat pump systems take advantage of the constant temperature of the earth at shallow depths to serve as a heat source or sink for a building. When used for heating and cooling, these systems are much more efficient than conventional fossil fuel or electric based space conditioning. Harvard has six ground source heat pump systems on campus, at the following locations:

In 2006, the Sepco single shoe box lighting system was installed in front of the Science Center. The photovoltaic panel produces 2kWh of electricity per day in summer, and approximately 0.6 kWh in winter to power an exterior light. It prevents 1,170 lbs of CO2 from being released each year.

The solar thermal hot water system was installed on 3 Sacramento Street, an FAS undergraduate co-op dorm, in June 2008. The project was funded as a prize for HGCI’s 2007 Sustainability Pledge. For each person that took the pledge, $1.50 was put in a fund for an on-campus renewable energy system and 3 Sacramento’s solar thermal system won the funding.

Straight Vegetable Oil in Recycling Truck

In September 2006, one of Harvard's recycling trucks was converted to run on waste vegetable oil from Annenberg Dining Hall. The project, first proposed by two students, was implemented by Harvard Recycling, HGCI, and the Harvard Transportation Services.

Biodiesel began fueling the 25 diesel vehicles in Harvard’s fleet during Spring 2004 as the University Operations Services constructed its very own biodiesel filling station. The 20% soybean oil, 80% diesel oil blend promises to reduce the emissions of particulates and greenhouse gases.