College campuses are utilizing energy efficiency and energy conservation to be at the forefront of the sustainability and energy efficiency movements. Dickinson College is an established leader in the sustainability movement in a variety of ways, including in their development of a Climate Action Plan in 2008 to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and the College's goal to reach net carbon neutrality by 2020 with a 25% reduction in campus emissions and 75% GHG offsets. In order to achieve these goals, the College has worked closely with THE STONE HOUSE GROUP to understand current energy consumption on campus, current utility infrastructure and future options, and alternative and renewable energy options on campus. Two projects that resulted from a campus wide Utility Master Plan focused on renewables and alternative energy are a 1 MW Tri-Generation Plant and a 4MW solar photovoltaic (PV) array on campus. This paper will explore how Dickinson College developed their Climate Action Plan, as well as highlight various renewable and alternative options for campuses, specifically using Dickinson's two aforementioned projects as case studies to demonstrate how renewable and alternative options can reduce operating costs, reduce emissions, provide education opportunities for the College and improve resiliency on campus.
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