The Oberlin Review
<< Front page News October 1, 2004

OC to purchase green energy

In a move that is promised to substantially reduce Oberlin’s carbon dioxide emissions and support the long-term development of environmentally sound energy, Oberlin College will begin purchasing 13,000 megawatt-hours of “green” energy from its local power source.Under the agreement between the College and its energy provider, Oberlin Municipal Light and Power System, 60 percent of the College’s energy needs will now be met with green energy. The new arrangement is predicted to reduce Oberlin College’s carbon dioxide emissions by a quarter or 12,600 metric tons.

Previously, 90 percent of Oberlin’s electricity was generated by power stations fueled with coal, which creates more greenhouse gas than other fossil fuels. The College’s old set-up produced 50,400 tons of carbon dioxide annually when combined with the carbon dioxide created by heating and transportation.

It is believed that the benefits of Oberlin College’s new energy policy will go beyond simply cutting back on its own greenhouse emissions. According to John Petersen, assistant professor of environmental studies and biology, by buying green energy Oberlin will increase the size of the market for such electricity.

“If you want to stimulate the development of green energy in this country, you have to expand the market,” Petersen said.

Additionally, the premiums paid by Oberlin College will be re-invested by the municipal power company into the “Sustainable Energy Reserve Fund.” The fund, which is controlled by the Oberlin city council, will be used to support energy conservation projects such as the weatherization of low-income housing.

The College will make up for the three percent increase in electriity prices through more efficient use of energy.

The Oberlin Municipal Light and Power System derives four percent of its electricity from burning methane from the local BFI landfill and another 10 percent from a hydroelectric dam on the Ohio river in West Virginia. Though dams frequently have environmental drawbacks, Petersen noted that the design of this particular dam would limit its impact.

Since it was originally built for navigation purposes, the “dam does not flood the river and create a large basin which destroys existing ecosystems,” Petersen said.

The student group Climate Justice also played a key role in the push towards green energy. As part of its advocacy, Climate Justice organized a discussion panel last year for the Dorm Energy Competition, bringing up energy policy in meetings with administrative officials and including information on the subject in their publicity materials.

Senior Rob Stenger of Climate Justice praised the decision.

“We hope that this decision is indicative of a new view towards Oberlin College’s ecological footprint and its responsibility to sustainability as a leader of progressive change in the realm of higher education,” he said.
 
 

   

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