Where Does Your Energy Come From?

Plymouth- This September, PSU students, faculty, and staff used 945,666-kilowatt hours (KWH) of electricity, compared to 1,097,078 KWH in September 2004-a decrease of 14 percent. That’s great, but what is a kilowatt-hour?We know that each piece of our electrical equipment: lights, computers, televisions, fans, stereos, coffee makers, toasters, and so on all use a certain number of watts. A kilowatt-hour, as the name implies, is 1000 watts working for one hour. For instance, a typical computer system uses about 130 watts of power; this computer left with a screensaver running for 12 hours consumes 1560 watts, or 1.56 KWH. Therefore, we saved the energy equivalent of one thousand computers running nonstop for roughly 48 days. Where do all of these KWH’s come from? Prior to this academic year, PSU generated its own electricity using the Co-generation plant on Tobey Road. Two generators produce electricity to supply the campus with power, while three boilers produce steam to heat academic and residential buildings. The two generators and one of the boilers use #2 oil (what is used in home oil furnaces), while the other two boilers use #6 oil. With oil costs rising, the University began purchasing electricity from the NH Electric Co-op. According to the U.S. Government Energy Information Administration, on average, 70 percent of electricity in the US is generated by the burning of fossil fuels: coal, natural gas, and oil, which has several implications. First, we are well aware of the impact that using fossil fuels has on the environment. Acid rain has affected forest and aquatic environments. The State of New Hampshire recommends that individuals limit consumption of fish caught in New Hampshire waters due to elevated mercury content, presumably as a result of coal-fired power plants. Even the most “gentle” extraction technologies result in damage to ecosystems. Furthermore, each KWH of electricity consumed produces, on average, 1.55 pounds of carbon dioxide, which is implicated in global warming. In September alone, Plymouth State University produced about 730 tons of CO2-and that doesn’t even include all our driving! Plymouth State University constantly works to ensure that daily operations automatically consume less energy, a task accomplished in part via an energy management system coordinated at Physical Plant. According to Donnie Perrin, Energy Conservation and Use Assistant, campus heating and cooling systems have several features which can minimize energy usage. For instance, air-conditioned buildings such as the HUB and Lamson Library utilize economizer set points; if the outside air is cooler than the set point, cooler outside air is pumped into the building. Additionally, some larger, infrequently used rooms, such as the HUB meeting rooms, contain Variable Air Volume boxes that regulate air flow supply into the rooms relative to the heating or cooling load. The boxes can be turned on or off depending on whether the room is occupied or not, so energy is not wasted to heat or cool an empty room. While the details of these processes may not particularly interest the average student, they represent behind-the-scenes energy savings. In some older buildings such as Mary Lyons, however, thermostats control heating zones, and the heat will remain on until the thermostat is satisfied. If one’s room is too hot, they usually open the window. If that room has a thermostat, it actually causes the heaters to work harder, since the thermostat senses the temperature is falling. The end result is counterintuitive: that room, along with all the other rooms in the zone, gets even hotter, and energy is wasted.Renovations have been made with conservation in mind; residents of Pemigawasset Hall are benefiting from new windows. Energy efficient lighting in Boyd, Blair, Lamson Library, Rounds, and throughout the HUB has saved thousands of kilowatt-hours. And the upcoming overhaul of Mary Lyon will address several energy issues. Additionally, the new Langdon Woods dorm will incorporate significant efficiency technologies.Like any campus initiative, energy conservation won’t be truly successful without student involvement. There is no substitute for becoming educated about our personal energy consumption; being energy-aware empowers us to change our habits to consume less.As a means to this end, emails outlining energy conservation strategies were sent to students and faculty. Most notable about these tips is how simple they are; most require virtually no effort-just a little extra attention to detail. Turn off lights and appliances when you’re finished. Since lighting consumes the largest percentage (20%) of electricity, consider spending a few extra dollars for compact fluorescent bulbs, which last several times longer while using significantly less wattage. Minimize air conditioner usage. Get some extra exercise and take the stairs instead of the elevator. Don’t leave computers on when they’re not being used.Energy conservation is important for the future. A few small contributions don’t take much, but in the end, will make a huge difference.