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Tree graphic Geothermal Big Wind Solar Thermal Hydro Small Wind Photovoltaic Biomass Ocean / Wave

Renewable Energy Options Tree

Biomass
Do you have an aging oil burner that needs to be replaced?
 Yes No
Does your campus have a centralized heating plant? Yes No
Do you have any buildings which are not served by a centralized heating plant?
Yes No
Do you have a new building on campus? Yes No
Do you have the ability to accept and store a significant supply of biomass during the winter (i.e. truck access and dry storage)? Yes No

Biomass is a particularly cost-effective fuel-source when it replaces an outdated, inefficient system– so look first at inefficient oil burners and outdated furnaces.

Biomass can be used in centralized heating plants, and centralized cogeneration plants, but it also can heat individual buildings.

Some schools have found small wood pellet furnace systems to be an easy way to meet the heating needs of buildings not served by the central heating plant.

You’ll need a way of accepting and storing the biomass, the need for a dry-storage shed located near the furnace but also accessible by trucks will be an important consideration.

But because biomass plants can generate heat and electricity, and because small biomass furnaces can be used in individual buildings, biomass can be cost effective on almost every Massachusetts campus.

Many campuses pair biomass with other technologies in feasibility studies since it is viable in multiple circumstances.

Geothermal
Do you know your summer cooling and winter heating loads? Yes No
Is there a big difference between them? Yes No
Do you know the geological, hydrological characteristics of your ground? Yes No
Are you willing to drill a test bore hole? Yes No
Do you have surface water on campus – like a lake or pond? Yes No

The specific geological, hydrological, and spatial characteristics of your land will help determine if geothermal is right for your site, and which kind of system would work best.

Composition of soil, presence of surface water, and availability of land all determine geothermal cost effectiveness.

It’s important to test the condition and temperature of the site and groundwater. Drilling a test bore hole can be an important step before installation.

Surface water can be used for certain kinds of loop systems rather than vertical bore holes or horizontal coils.

Heat pump systems are designed to transfer heat to and from the ground; the exchange of heat over the year should be net zero. Relying on the system for cooling or heating exclusively could create a temperature imbalance within the well field; a geothermal system will work best when the heating and cooling loads are equal.

Few campuses have the same heating and cooling loads, however, so campuses either size to the smaller load or run extra equipment in the off-season.

Hydropower
Is there a dam on or near your campus? Yes No
Has hydropower ever been generated in the area? Yes No
Do you have available space near the pre-existing dam? Yes No
Are you willing to undertake a lengthy federal approval process? Yes No

Despite this relative constancy of power derived from fresh water flows, new hydropower facilities are unlikely to get local and federal approval because of their negative impact on natural habitats and water flows.

Projects that restore or update pre-existing or dormant hydro facilities are much more likely to be approved, although rehabilitation projects are also required to undergo a significant approval process.

There are many new hydroelectricity technologies being developed that will mitigate these environmental impacts.

We urge you to consider free-flow (or low-head) hydroelectric technologies as they become more commercially available.

Ocean/Wave
Is your campus located on or near the ocean? Yes No
Is your college or university willing to support emerging technologies? Yes No
Are you willing to undergo a lengthy federal permitting process? Yes No

The northeastern shore of the U.S. has been determined as wavy enough for wave energy installations, but commercial installations in the area are in the preliminary stages.

Although ocean/wave energies hold great promise for power generation, they are still considered “emerging” technologies.

Any installations must be approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

Find out more about the FERC permitting process
at www.ferc.gov.

Photovoltaics
Do you have a building with a new roof, or one in good repair, which faces south? Yes No
Does this south-facing roof have little or no shade? Yes No
Do you have a building which has recently undergone and energy efficiency retrofit? Yes No
Do you have a large, unused, and sunny field? Yes No
Do you have lit parking lots, or electrified signage? Yes No
Do you have a large amount of trash or recyclables on campus? Yes No

Solar systems can be mounted on roofs, integrated into awnings or installed at ground level on rack structures.

In general, roof-mounted systems are preferred because they require shorter runs, are less vulnerable to vandalism and are more aesthetically appealing than ground-mounted systems.

Where roof-mounting is not an option, open, adjacent land is a potential alternative where security concerns are not an issue.

PV systems should be as close to the electric meter as possible to minimize wire transmission losses. South facing is best to maximize overall production; solar panels require essentially shade-free placement.

The most common items that will cause shading are trees, other buildings, telecommunications and HVAC equipment.

The best time to install a roof-mounted solar system is during construction or roof replacement to achieve the lowest installation cost.

PV panels have a 20-25 year warranty, so panels should only be installed on roofs with no expected repair needs for 20 years.

Solar panels are most effective when placed on a building which has recently undergone an energy efficiency upgrade.

Solar Thermal
Do you have a constant need for hot water in a building
(like a dorm, cafeteria, or fitness center)?		 Yes No
Does that roof face south and have little shade? Yes No
Is the roof in good repair? Yes No
Do you have a pool on campus? Yes No
Do you have buildings located far from the campus’s power plant
that would benefit from heat located within the building itself? 		Yes No
Do you have buildings that are cooled by window units? Yes No

Sites with year round and fairly constant hot water demand are the most appropriate for thermal applications. Pools and dorms are good examples.

Solar hot water systems will need a storage tank, which should be close to the existing hot water system to minimize pipe runs and heat losses. South facing roof panels are best to maximize overall production; solar panels require essentially shade-free placement.

The most common items that will cause shading are trees, other buildings, telecommunications and HVAC equipment.

The best time to install a roof-mounted solar system is during construction or roof replacement to achieve the lowest installation cost.

Solar hot water panels have a 10 year warranty and typically last longer, so they are best installed on roofs with no expected repair needs for 20 years.

Solar thermal systems can for space conditioning, that is to say create heating and cooling for a building.

These technologies are employed less frequently then solar hot-water heating but are becoming more commercially available and financially feasible.

Wind
Are you located in a zone demarcated on this map as a class 2
or higher?		 Yes No
Do you have some open space on campus? Yes No
Are you willing to undergo an in-depth feasibility study? Yes No
Are you located close to an airport or protected avian habitat? Yes No

Large scale wind installations require an in-depth feasibility study, and the first step in determining if you’re eligible for a large scale turbine is to evaluate the general wind speeds in your area of the state.

A large-scale wind turbine’s location has a major effect on the amount of electricity it produces and, thus, on its cost-effectiveness.

Factors that influence the economics of a site include: wind speed; proximity to electric loads, and the accessibility of the turbine.

There are a number of other siting considerations including local permitting and zoning requirements, visual impacts, noise impacts, and impacts on birds, bats, and other species.

Making sure that campus neighbors and/or campus buildings are not located within the turbine’s fall zone is another important consideration.

Even if you are not a likely candidate for a large-scale installation, your campus is most likely a candidate for a small-scale turbine.

For small installations the rule of thumb is, if it seems like it’s windy, then you probably have enough wind for a small turbine.