General Energy Projects Planning Tool

From Common Energy UVic

The General Energy Projects Planning Tool guides the General Energy Projects and once complete will form its sections of the Going Beyond Climate-Neutral Plan.

Contents 1 What are the needs that the project will address? 2 What is the problem that we are trying to solve? 3 What do we need to know to solve the problem? 4 Who should we ask to get that information? 5 How are the decisions that effect this problem made? 6 Who do I need to engage to make this change? 7 What is it going to take, and how are we going to do it?

[edit] What are the needs that the project will address?

• Learn how to radically reduce energy demand and energy impacts
• Prepare for a renewable energy infrastructure
• Have solar hot water roofs to tie in with existing campaigns
• We need to tie our plan in with what's happening with Mike and crew
• Need to make energy use visible, possibly through enterprise level on-going measurement systems
• Need to create energy policy that is integrated and flexible
• Link energy researchers and energy policy makers

[edit] What is the problem that we are trying to solve?

• How can the University help the region radically reduce its energy demand and energy impacts?

[edit] What do we need to know to solve the problem?

• What are the universities past and current energy management policies and practices?
• What are the best practices at other large institutions, particularly universities?
• What are the best practices in regional energy demand and energy impact
• How does the energy system work in BC? And, what are the major initiatives that will shape its development?

• Link to relevant Knowledge Base sections.

[edit] Who should we ask to get that information?

(e.g. Farmer X, Y, and Z, the people that purchase UVic's food, sustainable agriculture experts...)

[edit] How are the decisions that effect this problem made?

(e.g. Who controls UVic's food purchasing? How do we give them a mandate to change their purchasing? Who controls land-use decisions in the region?...)

[edit] Who do I need to engage to make this change?

(e.g. Diverse groups and individuals on campus to build support, the relevant decision makers, the relevant experts, the farmers...)

[edit] What is it going to take, and how are we going to do it?

Objective 1: Solar Hot Water

Objective 2: Geothermal Energy

Objective 3: Energy Efficiency

Objective 4: Greening the Grid

The main initiative is developing projects for investment by the Common Energy Climate Trust Project.

This section outlines several large-scale projects the Energy Working Group proposes the university implement. These projects will need significant funding and implementation resources from the university. CE wishes to participate and members with expertise can be enlisted as volunteers.

Actions

• Research the potential for algae to capture CO₂ from the air. Algae are photosynthetic organisms that use light energy to capture CO₂ from the air. Microscopic algae, or “micro-algae”, have the same photosynthetic processes as seaweed and plants but grow as single cell microbes or strings of microbes that can form large aggregates.

Dr. Francis Nano will initiate this project with the following objectives:

1. Establish a research team that will develop projects, seek research funding and start a training program for using algae for CO₂ capture.
2. Collect and test algal strains for optimal growth in B.C. environments.
3. Develop both open-air and closed photo-bioreactors for uses specific to B.C. sites

• • • CO₂ capture from methane burning at sewage treatment and land-fill sites
    • CO₂ capture at industrial sites
    • Carbon offset by mass cultivation of algae at remote sites

1. Test the feasibility of developing algal strains that can produce products with commercial promise, thus subsidizing algal CO₂ capture.

• • • Production of cellulose degrading enzymes for conversion of wood product waste material to alcohol
    • Production of bioplastics
    • Production of biodiesel

1. Develop open-air “race-track” style ponds.
2. Design bioreactors for optimal light capture and waste-heat transfer, CO2 capture, and harvesting of algae and algal products.

Proposals

• Collaborate with UVic to investigate the possibility of implementing a pilot solar water heating project on one of its buildings - A logical choice would be one of the residences on campus, since these buildings presumably use the most hot water. Common Energy members would assist in the technical specifications of the solar water heater unit, in commercial product research, and in the implementation, operation, and efficacy adjudication of the project.
• Collaborate with UVic to develop a long-term fleet management strategy that continually reduces the amount of GHGs and pollution emitted by its vehicles. - The strategy can be three-pronged: (1) replacement vehicles should be either electric (ideal) or hybrid, (2) the total usage should be minimized, with the most efficient/clean vehicles being employed preferentially, and (3) diesel vehicles should be fueled by a biodiesel-diesel blend (discussed below). The overall strategy can be guided by transportation experts at IESVic, who can assist in the selection of suitable replacement vehicles. Relevant facilities management and campus security officials will be involved in developing the utilization strategy.
• Begin a collaboration between IESVic and UVic's Facilities Management to: (1) seek out a supplier of B20 biodiesel-blended fuel for its diesel fleet and (2) fund research into the effects of higher-percentage blends of biodiesel on vehicle performance and lifetime.