U-M purchases alt-energy from DTE Energy

Wednesday, March 31, 2010 | Source: Concentrate

Alternative energy is starting to become the new norm at the University of Michigan now that it has begun purchasing energy harnessed from the wind.

The university is purchasing power produced by two wind turbines through DTE Energy's greenCurrents program. That production is expected to account for 2 percent of the university's energy consumption.

The partnership between the two institutions is expected to help determine the viability of incorporating a combination of alternative energy and conservation measures and technologies at the university. Engineers from the Detroit-based utility and the Ann Arbor-based university are working on these applications.

"We're really trying to do a lot of different things on the sustainability front," says Richard Robben, executive director for plant operations for U-M's Ann Arbor campus. "It's not just electricity purchases."

Among the other projects they're exploring is installing solar panels on campus facilities. They're also exploring other energy conservation solutions that could be implemented soon.

U-M isn't exactly new to the alternative energy game. It operates the largest alternative energy vehicle fleet amongst United States universities, with 596 vehicles running on various bio-fuels. This and other sustainable initiatives has allowed the university to maintain a stable energy use despite 9 percent increase in population of the campus and 11 percent rise in building area.

Source: Richard Robben, executive director for plant operations for University of Michigan's Ann Arbor campus
Writer: Jon Zemke