AHEC approves $130,000 toward clean energy on campus

By Boyd Fletcher
fletchar@mscd.edu

The Auraria board approved the spending of roughly $130,000 toward clean energy for Auraria on Nov. 16.

A 2004 referendum allows the Student Advisory Committee to the Auraria Board to collect $1 per student, per semester for three years to put toward a clean energy program for Auraria.

According to SACAB spokesperson Shaun Lally, the clean energy sub-committee researched alternative energy sources for the campus all last year.

"Our goal is to have the Tivoli powered by 100 percent wind; which is, I think, a really great example to set," Lally said.

According to the Auraria board, no more than $130,000 will go to tradable renewable credits (TRC), which is a way of purchasing power through the grid that is cleaner and can be purchased separately. Consumers purchase the electricity at the lowest possible cost while purchasing TRCs to offset that pollution.

Xcel Energy offers this program, but is currently sold out of units.

"We originally wanted to go with them (Xcel) because that would offset some costs with the Tivoli," Lally said. "This way we are going, there is no economic benefit but we are displacing greenhouse emissions through this purchase."

SACAB will begin the bidding search Dec. 1, and Lally said that SACAB would definitely go with a Colorado-based company.

"Basically, we put an ad out, give 30 days and any company can respond to that bid," Lally said. "Accounting looks over the bids and pretty much decides from there."

By the start of the semester in January, the contract should be filled, and since there is no physical installation, once the contract is signed the energy will be switched over.

"Education needs to happen at every level, people need to be aware of what clean air technology is," said Blaine Nickeson of student auxiliary services. "It's not putting a windmill on top of the Tivoli, it's buying (energy) from a supplier just like any other commodity."

Nickeson has been with the clean energy committee as the staff liaison since the committee started in the fall of 2004.

"I think the Auraria students who passed the referendum a few years ago set the stage as leaders," said Susan Innis, Green Power Marketing Director of Western Resource Advocate.

Innis said Colorado universities are at the forefront of demanding renewable energy for their campuses. She said that in 2000, CU-Boulder was the first school in the nation to increase fees for renewable energy options. CSU gives its students living in the dorms the choice of selecting to power their dorm rooms with wind power.

Another essential component to the purchase of wind power is education. SACAB plans on informing students on just where their money is going. One idea is to put a kiosk in the Tivoli where students can see the amount of emissions that are being displaced by using clean energy.

Another option would be taking student groups out to the wind farm. Lally said he would like to possibly get a turbine dedicated to the campus.

"We really do have long-term vision with clean energy on Auraria," Lally said. "I really feel like this is the first step."

The second half of the money goes to "eye-level" clean energy projects, such as solar-powered lights and safety phones to be put up around campus.

SACAB plans on strongly marketing its purchase.

"It's important to get the consciousness and awareness out there, and especially with the educational piece so that students can become more aware," said Nickeson.

Students will again be asked to vote on whether they want to appropriate funds toward clean energy in the spring of 2007 when SACAB must stop collecting on its 2004 referendum

"While it's significant to try and power the Tivoli 100 percent, the bigger impact is to, hopefully, make people aware of the technology," Nickeson said.