Thomas College knows a thing or two about guaranteeing sustainable futures for our students. That’s why we’re committed to doing everything we can to ensure a more sustainable future for our campus community and our planet.
Examples of our sustainable initiatives abound: from efficient heating, cooling, and lighting systems to geothermal wells and point-of-use water systems, or from Dining Services recycling cooking oil to our student-driven campus recycling program. Perhaps the most impressive example is our “Alfond Array,” one of the state’s largest solar photovoltaic arrays. Made up of almost 700 solar panels on the Alfond Athletic Center, this 170.52 kWh system, installed by ReVision Energy, produces almost 11% of the electricity used on campus. Here’s what we’ve gained from this system alone since it was installed in 2012:
- Offset 186,340 gallons of gas.
- Lifetime generation of 2,100 MWh (2,110,334 kWh) of electricity.
- Saved 1,319 tons of CO2 emissions.
- Produced enough energy to charge 87,930 electric cars.
- Generated enough power to charge 390,410,310 smartphones.
- 64 days of powering 1 search engine data center
- 62,807 nights of powering the Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center
To continue our diverse sustainability efforts, Thomas joined the United States Department of Energy’s Workplace Charging Challenge in June 2015. By taking part in the challenge, Thomas has committed to providing plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) charging stations to students, staff, and faculty. Thomas began offering PEV parking in 2013 with the installation of two Level I chargers at designated parking spots on campus. In the fall of 2015 Thomas College added two level II chargers, which provide a charge in half the time.