Stanford solar energy

Does Stanford use solar power?

Stanford is one of many entities in California that takes water out of that pool to power its operations. This means that the electricity used on campus — whether by a computer charger or a TV — is not necessarily coming directly from Stanford’s two solar plants.

Does Stanford use natural gas?

In 2015, Stanford transitioned from powering the campus solely through natural gas to a more efficient system of using grid-sourced electricity and waste heat to heat and cool the campus – saving money, conserving water, eliminating greenhouse gases and paving the way for a clean energy future.

Is Stanford a sustainable University?

Stanford is one of only 11 universities to achieve the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) Platinum rating. Stanford is also among the top three universities in the energy category of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s (AASHE) 2021 Sustainable Campus Index.

How much solar power does the University use a year?

The addition of the second solar generating station brought the university’s renewable capacity to over 120% of its annual electricity consumption, generating an abundance of about 340,000 MWh annually.

What is a solar generating station?

Located in Southern California, the 2016 solar generating station is a 54-MWac facility utilizing single-axis tracking technology, a system where panels tilt on one axis to follow the sun’s movement throughout the day for maximum energy production.

Is Stanford a good University?

“Stanford is among the first universities in the world to do this specific combination of heat recovery, large-scale thermal storage, renewable electrification and optimization in the way that we are doing it,” Winslade said.