University increases wind energy purchase

A greener future is blowing in the wind.

The University recently made a commitment to increase its expenditure on wind energy for the next two years, making it the biggest patron of wind power among universities in the United States.

Renewable wind energy will account for nearly half of Penn's power because of the University's purchase of an additional 80,000-megawatt hours per year from Community Energy Inc. based in Radnor, Pa. The purchase will increase Penn's total wind-energy purchase to almost 200,000 megawatt hours per year.

"We are proud to expand our sizeable commitment to clean and renewable wind energy," Penn President Amy Gutmann said in a press release.

"This is yet another demonstrable step that Penn is taking as a leader in a global effort to achieve environmental sustainability," she added.

Up until this announcement, Penn trailed New York University's wind power consumption - NYU buys 100 percent of its power from wind sources.

Penn will get the energy from wind farms throughout Pennsylvania with windmills in places like Pittsburgh that harness power. The power is redirected to the power grid in the Philadelphia area.

The influx of wind power reduces the amount of energy coming from companies that are more likely to pollute, so the net result is more green energy.

"There's more wind energy produced, there is less of a need for fossil fuel energy," said Gerry McGillian, director of Operations and Maintenance Administration at FRES.

In order to claim that it is wind-powered, the University must purchase energy credits that correspond to the amount of wind power purchased.

According to McGillian, government regulations require power plants to invest a certain amount in renewable energy by buying energy credits.

Instead of speculating and selling off its credits to companies producing energy through cheaper, less environmentally friendly ways, Penn retires its credits.

The energy credit market is important for companies specializing in alternative energy.

"Retirement is the key step in the process because it takes the energy credits off the market. When organizations like Penn buy and retire credits, they reduce the supply, and we see the demand increase and wind-farm developers see the value of the credit rise and projects are able to happen," said Jay Carlis, Marketing director for Community Energy Inc.

Penn has consistently made the Environmental Protection Agency's Top 25 green-power purchasers list since 2005.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.