| Overall Rating | Platinum |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 86.87 |
| Liaison | Carrie Metzgar |
| Submission Date | Nov. 5, 2024 |
University of California, San Diego
OP-6: Clean and Renewable Energy
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.49 / 4.00 |
Carly
Kupka Campus Utilities & Energy Analyst Utilities & Sustainability |
Total energy consumption (electric and non-electric)
Clean and renewable energy sources
Clean and renewable electricity
| kWh | MMBtu | |
| Imported electricity from certified/verified clean and renewable sources (i.e., bundled green power purchases) | 23,507,458 Kilowatt-hours | 80,207.45 MMBtu |
| Electricity from on-site, clean and renewable sources (rights retained/retired) | 3,512,850 Kilowatt-hours | 11,985.84 MMBtu |
A brief description of the certified/verified sources of clean and renewable electricity:
UC San Diego has a variety of certified/verified sources of clean and renewable electricity. These include UC Clean Power Program direct access power purchasing options, power purchase agreements (PPAs) for electricity generated on and off site, and equivalent products that bundle physical electricity with the right to claim its renewable energy attributes.
Note: The UC Clean Power Program has only a single portfolio therefore some of the imported renewable electricity is used to meet renewable portfolio standards requirements.
A brief description of the on-site renewable electricity generating facilities/devices:
UC San Diego has 3.1 megawatts of solar photovoltaic generating capacity installed at a combination of on-campus and off-campus sites, including the Hillcrest Medical Center, Nimitz Marine Facility, Elliott Field Station and the Trade St. Shipping & Receiving Center. Approximately 2 MWs are directly owned by the University, while 1 MW is owned by a third party with both the electricity and the associated renewable energy credits (RECs) being purchased by the University through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). The existing arrays include a combination of roof mount, parking canopy and ground mount systems.
The planned renewable energy strategy builds on the existing deployment of PV arrays and sets realistic targets for future campus deployment of renewable energy resources.
Clean and renewable thermal energy
| MMBtu | |
| Clean and renewable stationary fuels used on-site to generate thermal energy | 0 MMBtu |
| Imported steam, hot water, and/or chilled water from certified/verified clean and renewable sources | 0 MMBtu |
A brief description of the clean and renewable stationary fuels:
A brief description of the certified/verified sources of clean and renewable thermal energy:
Unbundled renewable energy products
| kWh | MMBtu | |
| Purchased RECs, GOs, I-RECs or equivalent unbundled renewable energy products certified by a third party | 78,698,879 Kilowatt-hours | 268,520.58 MMBtu |
A brief description of the unbundled renewable energy products:
Green-e certified RECs were purchased in 2022 for 66% of the campus’s total purchased electricity. The RECs are composed primarily of biomass, wind, and solar PV.
Metrics used in scoring
Percentage of total energy consumption from clean and renewable sources:
Optional Fields
Sierra magazine requests the following information from U.S. institutions that wish to share data with that organization:
| Percentage of total electricity use (0-100) | |
| Biomass | 0 |
| Coal | 0 |
| Geothermal | 0 |
| Hydro | 21 |
| Natural gas | 69 |
| Nuclear | 2 |
| Solar photovoltaic | 7 |
| Wind | 0 |
| Other (please specify and explain below) | 0 |
A brief description of other sources of electricity not specified above:
"Other" is landfill gas, digestor gas, or unspecified by our power supplier.
Energy used for heating buildings, by source::
| Percentage of total energy used to heat buildings (0-100) | |
| Biomass | 0 |
| Coal | 0 |
| Electricity | 0 |
| Fuel oil | 0 |
| Geothermal | 0 |
| Natural gas | 100 |
| Other (please specify and explain below) | 0 |
A brief description of other sources of building heating not specified above:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
UC San Diego is undergoing a decarbonization feasibility study to identify ways in which we can directly reduce scope 1 emissions by 90% or greater from our energy systems by 2045. The following other items will also be addressed:
-
Identify climate justice and equity considerations related to the transition of campus energy systems and propose solutions or next steps.
-
Document knowledge gaps and subsequent studies/analyses needed to conduct comprehensive climate action planning, inclusive of all scopes.
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Document knowledge gaps and subsequent analyses/engagement needed to conduct climate action and resiliency planning for an academic setting, inclusive of living laboratory opportunities.
Final report will be completed by October 31, 2024. UC San Diego will set targets by January 1, 2025 for emissions reductions. Final comprehensive Climate Action Plan, inclusive of all scopes and resiliency, will be completed by January 1, 2026.
UC San Diego Awarded $7 Million to Power Campus and Strengthen State Electricity Grid:
UC San Diego is powered by a world-class microgrid that provides clean and reliable electricity, heating and cooling to thousands of students, faculty and staff across its 1,200-acre campus. Thanks to the California Energy Commission, the UC San Diego microgrid will now also be home to the largest lithium-ion battery system on any university campus in the country, helping to power the campus and decarbonize its microgrid while simultaneously strengthening California’s electricity reliability during times of need, such as the severe heat wave experienced in Southern California earlier this month. UC San Diego was awarded $7.15 million in funds from the Distributed Electricity Backup Assets (DEBA) Program to replace a decade-old battery with a new system rated at 10 MW/40 MWh, large enough to power 7,500 homes for four hours.
More information: https://today.ucsd.edu/story/uc-san-diego-to-receive-7-million-to-power-campus-and-strengthen-state-electricity-grid
Data provided above for calendar year 2023.
Points of contact for credit information:
-
Carly Kupka, Campus Utilities & Energy Analyst, Utilities & Sustainability
-
Michelle Perez, Energy and Sustainability Manager, Utilities & Sustainability
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.