Energy

  • The energy transition needed to meet global net-zero goals

    Tuesday, July 11, 2023 | By

    Renewable Energy and Cleaner Transport: Egypt Updates its Climate Commitments | Egyptian Streets

    By: Thurkkha Thayalalingam

    Accounting for about 75 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, fossil fuels are currently the largest contributor to global climate change. Transitioning to alternative renewable energy sources is a vital step towards achieving net zero emissions by 2050. Not only are renewable energy sources better for the environment, but they are often cheaper than “dirty” energy sources and better for human health. Keep reading to learn more about two of the most popular renewable energy sources: solar and wind! There are many more clean sources that are not mentioned here including geothermal, nuclear, hydroelectric and biofuel. 

    Solar

    According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), solar energy is one of the cheapest energy sources on the planet. Solar energy is generated using photovoltaic (PV) cells that capture and convert sunlight and heat into electrical energy (Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy [EERE]). Since the sun isn’t estimated to die for another five billion years, solar is a completely renewable energy source (National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NASA]). According to the US Department of Energy, an hour and a half of sunlight that reaches Earth’s surface can provide an entire year of energy for all.  

    However, solar energy does also have its disadvantages, one of the biggest being that it is weather dependent. The efficiency of solar panels is heavily dependent on the size, angle, and geographic location of the panels. Particularly in urban areas, high rise buildings can prevent sufficient sunlight from reaching panels. Solar power plants also require extensive amounts of land, which is of concern with land availability declining as the human population continues to increase. Additionally, manufacturing PV cells requires materials such as heavy metals and hazardous chemicals that are harmful to the environment (IRENA). 

    Wind 

    Wind energy, or wind power, is generated by converting the kinetic energy of moving air into electrical energy using wind turbines (National Geographic). Wind energy is also one of the lowest-price energy sources, preceded only by solar energy. Only requiring open land and wind, wind turbines are optimal for rural or remote areas.  

    Similar to solar power, wind power is limited by the amount of land available for wind farms. The blades of wind turbines also emit both mechanical and aerodynamic noise that is out of the normal human hearing range but can be damaging to wildlife (EERE). 

    For information on other clean energy sources, explore the links below: 

    Geothermal Energy  

    Nuclear Energy  

    Hydroelectric Energy  

    Biofuel/Biomass Energy 

    Categories: Energy, Student Contributor, Sustainability

  • Bob Davis and Gym 2 LED Lighting & Control System Upgrade  

    Monday, December 14, 2020 | By

    Blog Contributor: Elenore Breslow

    Brock University continues to demonstrate its commitment to increase energy efficiency and sustainability on campus through energy savings projects. A recent project completed in April 2020 was the LED lighting and control system upgrade in Bob Davis and Gym 2. The Bob Davis Gymnasium is located on the lower level of the Walker Complex and is home to Badger basketball and volleyball teams and is where convocation and exams are held. Gym 2 is a multi-purpose gymnasium that is also located in the Walker Complex and is the main facility for the Universities PEKN Children’s Movement Program and where a number of intramurals are held. 

    This energy efficiency project aligns with Brock’s Energy Conservation & Demand Management Plan goal to continue the replacement of T12, T8 and CFL lights and fixtures with LED tubes and fixtures. Both facilities were illuminated with 4 lamp and 2 lamp T8 fluorescent lighting fixtures with a total fixture count of 356 and a total lamp count of 1,424. The aging T8 fixtures were replaced with new LED high bay luminaires. A total of 140 new LED fixtures were installed in the two gyms. In addition to the lighting upgrades the two gyms also received a new Lutron control system that installed dimming capabilities as well as occupancy sensors to curtail energy usage when the gyms are not in use. The lighting portion of the project resulted in electrical savings of 157,228 kWh and the controls portion contributes an additional savings of 62,772 kWh for a total electrical savings of 220,000 kWh per year. This represents savings of $42,900 annually. These savings are enough to power 7.8 homes for 1 year and is equivalent to 40.88 t CO2e reduction or taking about 16 cars off the road! 

     

    Project Details: 

    Project Cost: $96,500.00 

    Incentives/Grants: $7,000 for fixtures, $6,272 for controls (total $13,272) 

    Simple Payback: 1.7 years 

    Energy Savings: 220,000 kWh/year ($42,900) 

    CO2 Reduction: 40.88 eton 

    Project Completion: April 2020. 

    Categories: Energy, Student Contributor, Sustainability at Brock

  • Brock’s Commitment to Environmental Sustainability Continues with Completion of DEEP 

    Saturday, March 14, 2020 | By

    Blog Contributor: Nolan Kelly 

    On Friday February 21st Brock University celebrated the completion of Brock’s District Energy Efficiency Project (DEEP). This project was a multiyear process that took extensive planning, collaboration, an effort in order to reach completion. The aim of the project was to reduce Brock’s carbon footprint and increase sustainability on campus by replacing the 25-year-old co-generation engines with state-of-the-art energy efficient units. These units provide a reliable source electricity, cooling and heating on campus. This project was made possible through federal and provincially funded upgrades to the co-generation plant that consisted of replacing eight engines with four new high-efficiency models as well as the installation of a new lithium-bromide absorption chiller and new magnetic-bearing electric chiller.  

    The first phase of the DEEP project saw Brock receive nearly $5.2 million in funding from the Government of Canada’s Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment as well as $5.4 million from Brock University. In Phase 1, Brock replaced half of the existing natural gas-powered co-generators with state-of-the-art, high efficiency electronically controlled units. DEEP Phase 2 started in March of 2018 and was entirely funded by the Ontario government’s $7.9-million investment as part of the Greenhouse Gas Campus Retrofits Program (GGCRP) Innovation Grant Fund, which was designed to help post-secondary institutions reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy efficiency. In this second phase the remaining co-gen engines were replaced, and a new high-efficiency electric chiller unit was installed. Through the completion of the DEEP project Brock University has significantly improved its energy efficiency, lowered its carbon emissions, and assists Brock in continuing in its commitment to meeting environmental sustainability targets. 

    The new engines are roughly 20 per cent more fuel efficient than their older counterparts and will consume roughly two million cubic metres less fuel to power the campus. The reduction is the equivalent of removing 720 small passenger cars from the road! The now completed project will result in Brock’s annual NOx (nitrogen oxide) gas emissions dropping from 55 tons to just eight tons, and non-methane hydrocarbons reducing from 15 tons to four. These new co-generation engines also consume 26 per cent less fuel per kWh produced, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in utility cost savings each year. 

    This a huge step forward for Brock in its efforts to become more environmentally sustainable and be a leader amongst universities in reducing carbon emissions. To read more about the completion of the project or to learn more about the savings associated check out the Brock News article and the Energy Conservation and Demand Management Plan below!  

    Completion of DEEP Project articles 

    Brock LINC opening signals new era of community engagement for Brock University  

    $7.9 million in provincial funding means green light for Brock’s green energy project 

    Brock University Energy Conservation and Demand Management Plan 

    Energy Conservation and Demand Management Plan 

    Reference made to article originally published in the Brock News which was written by Dan Dakin. 

    Photos: DEEP Project Launch – February 2020

    Categories: Electricity, Energy, Student Contributor, Sustainability at Brock

  • Interview: Ryan Stewart, Energy Manager

    Friday, August 30, 2019 | By

    Blog Contributor: Noah Nickel

    Recently I had an interview with Ryan Stewart, the Energy Manager at Brock University. This summer Ryan led a group in creating Brock’s Energy Conservation and Demand Management Plan (ECDM) and so I asked him about him and his role, and the ECDM and what it means to the Brock community.

    Q1. Do you mind just giving a quick background about yourself?

    My name is Ryan Stewart, I’m a former Brock graduate, and a mechanical engineer with 15 years of consulting experience, specifically in the thermal energy and power generation fields. I’ve been working at Brock for the last three years as a temporary Technical Services manager and now as the Energy manager. My current role here is to spearhead energy conservation projects, apply for and obtain energy rebates, monitor and forecast utilities consumptions and costs, as well as all of our regulatory reporting requirements.

    Q2. If you could distill the ECDM into a single sentence what would you say? To describe it to people that have never heard of it before.

    The ECDM is a history of what the University has accomplished in terms of conservation in the last 5 years as well as a roadmap of where the University is going to focus its efforts for GHG and energy reductions during the next 5 years.

    Q3. What single project or measure in the ECDM are you most proud of?

    I would have to say some the measures that I am most proud of are the two projects that we undertook in Decew Residence as well as in Plaza. Both projects resulted in fairly significant reductions in energy consumptions in both buildings without the expenditure of large amounts of capital in order for them to happen. These projects both utilized existing controls and infrastructure and with some investigation and minor alterations to valving allowed for a much more efficient building operation.

    Q4. How can we as members of the Brock community contribute to Brock’s Energy Conservation efforts?

    There are a multitude of ways individuals can contribute to our energy conservation efforts, simply being mindful of your electrical usage is a big one. Don’t leave lights on or the TV on in your dorm room when you are gone, not having additional plug loads like fans and space heaters running at all times, not leaving windows and doors open when the heat or ac is running is another big one. These may not seem like much in terms of energy conservation, but if everyone gets in the habit of being mindful of their energy use, we could see a huge change.

     You can check out the ECDM for yourself by clicking here.

    Categories: Energy, Student Contributor, Sustainability, Sustainability at Brock

  • Interview: Drew Cullen, District Energy Manager

    Friday, August 30, 2019 | By

    Blog Contributor: Noah Nickel

    Recently I had an interview with Drew Cullen, the District Energy Manager at Brock University. This summer Drew began working to bring Energy Dashboard’s to the Brock Campus and will be showcasing Sustainability-related content on the existing slide carousels throughout the campus this coming school year, and so I wanted to speak with him about that project and what it means for Brock.

    Q1. Do you mind just giving a quick background about yourself?

    My name is Drew Cullen and I am the District Energy Manager here at Brock. In my role one of the many things that I do is run the Asset Management & Utilities team, who spearheads sustainability initiatives for Facilities Management. This department is comprised by a multi-disciplinary team and is responsible for the efficient and resilient production and supply of utilities to the campus.

    Q2. Could you describe what an Energy Dashboard is to people who may have never heard of them? 

    It is a tool to create awareness for Faculty, Staff, and Students about the campus energy consumption.  The dashboard is a tool for helping people become more aware of their utility consumption patterns. We want to engage people on the sustainable initiatives that the University is implementing to improve our campus energy usage and carbon footprint and have people make more sustainable decisions at Brock.

    Q3. Why should people care about Brock’s energy usage?

    Around the world, energy usage is directly related to the production of greenhouse gas emissions, having an impact on climate change. Likewise, waste also has a significant environmental impact. As one of the leaders in Niagara, Brock needs to set the example to improve our environment. We need the help of everyone in the Brock community to achieve this goal and we can display our results on the energy dashboards when we do implement them.

    Q4. How can we as members of the Brock community contribute to reducing waste on campus and improving our dashboard metrics? 

    Little actions are all that it takes: Turning lights off in your office or classroom when they are not needed, taking shorter showers, setting your thermostat between 21-23 degrees, carpooling, using transit, eating less meat, properly disposing of recycling and waste, the list goes on.

    Keep your eyes out for the Energy Dashboards, which are expected to launch sometime in the coming months, and the sustainability slide carousel content, which will launch at the start of the 2019 fall semester.

     

     

    Categories: Energy, Student Contributor, Sustainability, Sustainability at Brock

  • Ready, Set, Charge!

    Tuesday, June 19, 2018 | By

    Blog Contributor: Shelby McFadden

    Electrical Vehicle Charging Station - International Centre, Brock University

    Photo: Electric vehicle charging station located at the Brock University International Centre.

    We have exciting news to share, as Brock was just approved for the installation of 10 new level 2 electric vehicle charging stations, which are to be installed by November 2018. Brock was generously given $75,000 through the Ontario Government’s Workplace Electric Vehicle Charging Incentive Program to carry out the project.

    To date, Brock has three electric chargers on campus, all of which are used frequently. The first charging station was installed at International Centre in 2013, through the partial gifting from Sun Country Highway. Then in 2016, two additional stations were added. There is one charger at the Central Utilities Building, and one in Lot H behind the tower.

    These chargers are available to be used by the Brock community, but also by people in the community and visitors to the Niagara Region. Currently, these chargers are free to use for permit holders, with non-permit holders only needing to pay a small amount for parking.

    With the student population sitting at around 18,000 students, and electric vehicles rising in popularity, these new charging stations will make it easier to accommodate electric vehicles on campus.

    This is really exciting, especially as someone who hopes to buy her own electric vehicle one day soon.

    While not perfect, electric vehicles have less impacts on the environment, as the only emissions are associated with electricity production, which is less of an issue with coal having been phased out in Ontario. By driving an electric vehicle, the average Canadian can reduce their car’s gas emissions by 60 to 90% (Plug ‘N Drive, n.d).

    This is a step in the right direction for helping to reach Brock’s emission reduction target of 20% by 2023.

    I am personally quite excited to see these chargers pop up around campus in the upcoming months, and am looking forward to future initiatives contributing to sustainability on campus.

    References:

    Plug ‘N Drive. (n.d). Electric vehicle benefits. Retrieved from https://www.plugndrive.ca/electric-vehicle-benefits

    Categories: Electricity, Energy, Student Contributor, Sustainability

  • $7.9 million in provincial funding means green light for Brock’s green energy project

    Friday, April 06, 2018 | By

    WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2018 | by 

    Brock University is currently upgrading its co-generation facility, a reliable and energy-efficient source of electricity, cooling and heating on campus.

    The second phase of a massive project to upgrade Brock University’s co-generation power facility is moving forward after an Ontario government funding announcement made Tuesday, March 27 in Toronto.

    The Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development (MAESD) announced $85.2 million in funding for eight Ontario universities through its Greenhouse Gas Campus Retrofits Program (GGCRP) Innovation Grant Fund. The GGCRP is designed to help post-secondary institutions reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy efficiency.

    Brock will receive $7.9 million to complete Phase 2 of its District Energy Efficiency Project (DEEP), which will upgrade and modernize the University’s co-generation facility, a reliable and energy-efficient source of electricity, cooling and heating on campus.

    The first, $10.8-million phase of the DEEP project started 18 months ago and is replacing half of the existing natural gas-powered co-gen engines with state-of-the-art, high efficiency, electronically controlled units. That project is expected to be completed this summer.

    DEEP Phase 2, which is being funded entirely through the Ontario government’s $7.9-million investment, will replace the remaining co-gen engines and install a new high-efficiency electric chiller unit. Work got started earlier this month and will be wrapped up by March 2019. No power interruptions are anticipated on campus as a result of the work.

    “Phase 2 is fully focused on carbon reduction and efficiency,” said Scott Johnstone, Associate Vice-President of Facilities Management. “The existing plant is about 25 years old. We’re replacing it with the latest technology that will make the entire co-gen facility more efficient.”

    The completed DEEP project will result in Brock’s annual NOx (nitrogen oxide) gas emissions dropping from 55 tonnes to just 8 tonnes and non-methane hydrocarbons reducing from 15 tonnes to four. The new co-generation engines will also consume 26 per cent less fuel and result in hundreds of thousands of dollars in utility cost saving each year.

    “This project isn’t just about saving money, it’s about making Brock University more environmentally friendly and reducing our carbon footprint,” said Johnstone.

    St. Catharines MPP Jim Bradley said the province and Brock University share a common goal of significant carbon reduction.

    “This investment by the Ontario government reaffirms its commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions on university campuses. This will allow the province of Ontario and its post-secondary institutions to lead by example when it comes to being energy efficient,” said Bradley.

    Brian Hutchings, Brock’s Vice-President, Administration, said the government’s investment in the co-generation facility will have a positive effect elsewhere in the University.

    “What’s unprecedented for Brock with this project is that it’s 100 per cent funded by the province,” Hutchings said. “The upgrades will result in significant utility cost savings, which will allow us to keep those costs flat during a period of inflation.”

    With the completion of the second phase of the DEEP project, all of the equipment in the co-generation facility will be new, which Johnstone said “will set the University up for another 25 or 30 years of service.”

    Story originally published in The Brock News

    Categories: Energy, Net-Zero, Sustainability, Sustainability at Brock