Stanford recently topped the list of participating Pac-12 schools in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s 2018-19 College and University Green Power Challenge.

The College and University Green Power Challenge tracks collegiate athletic conferences with the highest combined green power usage in the nation. According to the EPA, participating colleges in the Pac-12 conference produced a total of nearly 284 million kWh last academic year, with Stanford leading the way at nearly 160 million kWh of renewable energy.

Stanford’s green power production currently makes up 57 percent of the university’s electricity usage, enough to power more than 15,000 homes. In 2021, a second solar generation station is scheduled to come online, bringing the university’s renewable energy portfolio to 100 percent.

The University’s new Central Energy Facility, which includes an innovative heat recovery system and three large water tanks for thermal energy storage, is a key component of Stanford’s long-term sustainable energy plan. Powered completely by electricity, the facility was recognized in 2017 for its excellence in architecture and urban design by the American Institute of Architects.

Stanford has also made progress regarding the transition to clean energy. As compared to the baseline year 2000, Stanford has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 68 percent and energy intensity by 26 percent in 2017.

In 2018, Stanford earned a Platinum rating in the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System, with a score of 88 percent — the highest submitted score of any research institution to date.

Contact Tejas Athni at tathni ‘at’ stanford.edu.