By UW Sustainability | Oct 5, 2015

The University of Washington and Seattle City Light have created a partnership through City Light’s Green Up program to advance renewable energy on campus and beyond.

The two-and-a-half year partnership will provide funding for renewable energy work at UW, allowing the university to develop renewable energy projects, produce educational outreach materials, and create opportunities for faculty and student collaboration.

These efforts will benefit the UW, Seattle City Light and the community by promoting renewable energy and leveraging the research and academic resources of the university in energy projects.

"This partnership will allow the University of Washington and Seattle City Light to work together to advance renewable energy," said Ruth Johnston, Associate Vice President of UW Sustainability. "The UW is a living laboratory, and through this partnership we can lay the foundation for more ground-breaking work in renewable energy applications."

The UW has been part of the Green Up program since 2006, helping City Light invest in renewable energy development. The new partnership will earmark part of the funds UW has put in the Green Up program toward resourcing staff to be dedicated to facilitating renewable energy projects.  Additionally, the partnership will promote renewable energy outreach and education.

“Our Green Up program is paving the way to a cleaner, greener way of living,” said Jim Baggs, Interim General Manager and CEO of City Light. “With the continued support of the UW and its expertise in renewables research and education, Green Up offers an energy future full of progress and promise.  I can’t wait to see the great work that’s going to come out of this partnership.”

Marilyn Ostergren, Renewable Energy Liaison in the UW Sustainability office, is tasked with coordinating the UW efforts under the partnership. As part of the agreement, the UW will develop a renewable energy strategy that works in conjunction with the University’s Climate Action Plan, leverage existing funding grants such as the Campus Sustainability Fund, Green Seed Fund and Alaska Airlines Environmental Innovation Challenge, and create outreach resources.

This will include a website "portal" highlighting sustainability-related research at the university, as well as infographics in campus buildings highlighting energy and resource usage. As part of the partnership, informational signs will be placed in 50 campus buildings to inform occupants about how the buildings consume resources, whether the resources used are renewable, and engage the people using the buildings in conservation and efficiency efforts.

The university will also utilize Seattle City Light's Mobile-Solar Kiosk (known as ‘MobE’) at several events, and work on creating innovative campus renewable energy projects totaling at least 100 kW. More information about the MobE project can be found at the following website: www.MobE.seattle.gov

"We are excited about this partnership and the collaboration that will lead to increased awareness about renewable energy," said John Chapman, Executive Director, Campus Engineering, UW Facilities Services.