Vanderbilt University
OP-6: Clean and Renewable Energy

A 20-kilowatt solar PV system and a 120 gallon solar hot water system are installed on the roof of the Currey Tennis Center. The solar PV system has produced a 15% reduction in electricity in the building since installation. The solar hot water system has reduced building natural gas use by 40% since installation. The solar PV electricity generation can be viewed via an online dashboard at https://enlighten.enphaseenergy.com/login?&utm_content=html with the login: sustainvu@vanderbilt.edu and password: VU*Tennis.

Three new solar picnic tables which use photovoltaic solar panels to power charging stations for laptops and phones were added to campus. Each table features a solar array, LED nighttime lighting, four 120 volt and eight USB charging stations, and two large benches for students. The systems will be able to provide 75-100 iPhone charges per day.

Four solar-powered charging stations were installed on campus in Spring 2012– a Solar Dok patio table and three walk-up Solstice units. Members of the Vanderbilt community can charge their electronics while outside, utilizing the batteries charged by solar power. The charging stations were a project of the Vanderbilt Green Fund, a collaborative venture of Plant Operations, the Office of the Dean of Students and Vanderbilt Student Government to fund utility conservation projects proposed by students and selected with student input. The power from these units goes directly into a battery used to power electronic devices and is not calculated in the above number (total clean and renewable electricity generated on site).

The Smart Modal Area Recharge Terminal, or SMART station, is a solar-powered electric car charging station and can accommodate 10 electric vehicles (EVs) and is located on Vanderbilt’s campus. The SMART station is a joint project of Vanderbilt, the Tennessee Valley Authority and the Electric Power Research Institute to collect data on the operation of a charging station as well as the integration of the station into the operation of a “smart” power grid. This data will inform the further development of Tennessee’s electric vehicle infrastructure. The SMART station was opened in Fall 2012. The electricity produced by the SMART station goes directly back to the NES grid and is not calculated in the above number (total clean and renewable electricity generated on site).

A solar hot water system was installed in late 2015 and the solar PV system was installed in late 2016. The systems currently supply hot water and electricity to the Tennis Center, offsetting on average 40% of the natural gas used in the building.

VU/MWS Renewable Energy Showcase - In collaboration with Nashville Metro Water Services (MWS), Vanderbilt University School of Engineering (VUSE) set up a wind-solar renewable energy site at the Love Hill in Nashville. The main purpose of this project is to examine the feasibility of alternative energy production through solar and wind facilities, and the expectation is that about of 30kWh of energy will be generated on a daily basis; 30kWh is the average daily consumption of electrical energy per household across the US, according to the US Energy Information Administration. Love Hill is one of the highest points in Nashville and the wind speeds atop the hill are suitable for wind power generation, especially during the windy months November through April. In the first phase of the project, a wind monitoring station was set up at Love Hill to measure and establish analytical models for energy production. Owing to the proximity of homes, and considering issues of neighborhood aesthetics and noise, only a modest 3kW turbine has been installed. The wind power is complemented by solar power of 4.8 kW capacity. The electricity produced at this site does not return directly to the Vanderbilt campus.

Vanderbilt purchases 750 blocks per month, the maximum purchase allowed, of renewable energy through TVA's Green Power Switch Program. Vanderbilt University is the largest purchaser of green power through NES, the local electrical provider.

29% of VU's electricity comes from excess steam generated at the on-campus co-generation plant, which is fueled with natural gas. An on-site solar PV system produces a small amount of electricity for the Currey Tennis Center. The remaining electricity comes from TVA, with 27% from coal, 7% from hydro, 23% from natural gas, 38% from nuclear, and 5% from other renewable resources (not specified between renewable source).

100% of steam used for heating buildings comes from VU's co-generation plant, which is fueled by natural gas.