Oregon Tech To Be Powered Entirely By Geothermal Energy
College students are demanding sustainability efforts in their schools, and now universities are stepping up to the plate. This past Tuesday, the Oregon Institute of Technology outlined a plan to build a $7.6 million geothermal power plant on campus. The plant will become the sole power source for the school in a few years, making Oregon Tech the only university to be powered completely by geothermal energy.
Since Klamath Falls, the home of Oregon Tech, sits near a fault line, heat and energy can be easily taken out of the earth.
And Oregon Tech isn’t the only institution to take advantage of the abundant geothermal energy in the area.
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The city of Klamath Falls operates a geothermal heating utility, using the energy to heat buildings, melt snow on the streets, and more. Raser Technologies, a company located in the city, has plans to build a geothermal plant in the city, and is looking into developing surrounding areas as well.
With Florida Gulf Coast University’s giant solar array recently in the news—and now Oregon Tech’s geothermal project—maybe we’ll be seeing some of the biggest renewable energy projects coming out of universities in the near future.
More Posts on Geothermal Energy:
- Germany Creates Boom In Geothermal Electricity
- Harness A Volcano To Power Your Town
- Geothermal: It Ain’t Sexy But It Sure Is Smart
The first fossil fuel free community in the USA also utilizes geothermal energy to meet a part of its energy demands.
http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/08/07/geos-the-us-first-fossil-fuel-free-community/
Mahesh - great post! Thanks for linking.
I’ve never been more proud to be an Oregon Tech alumna!
Great story! I hope that they include green roofs in their sustainability projects. Green roofs reduce storm water runoff, CO2, fine particulate matter pollution, and the urban heat island effect.
I read an article about Northern Arizona University using a green roof. The title was: “LEED with Green Roofs” found here http://cleanerairforcities.blogspot.com/search/label/Northern%20Arizona%20University
Good luck and great project!
California University of PA is using a geothermal system in there dorms
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2007/07/31/dorms
Big oil really blew it by allowing fuel to go so high in the recent runup (if they’re not just plain running out of cheep supply). I bet they could have milked the US for under $100 a barrel oil for quite a few more years.
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I went to school at OIT back in 2003. The sidewalks have the ice melted off them by heat pipes that are built in, and the heaters in the dorm rooms are thermal powered already. By the way, that waterfall you see in the picture freezes up and that entire area becomes a slippery ice hazzard… I used to take cafeteria trays outside and put them under my car’s back wheels, put the e-brake on and slide around haha. OIT FTW!
Whoah am I really seing that. Wow that is amazing.
JT
http://www.FireMe.to/udi