UB became the first school in the SUNY system to utilize wind-generated power as an alternative to more traditional sources of electricity, when the university purchased power from the Senner Wind Power Facility in Madison County, New York on Oct. 1, according to UB Utilities Manager John Russo.
Wind power will provide two percent of UB's electricity, but UB will likely increase that number to four percent by next year and 10 percent by the 2004-2005 fiscal year, said Russo.
In compliance with Gov. George E. Pataki's "Green and Clean" executive order, UB must derive 10 percent of its power from renewable sources, such as wind, by 2005.
Russo said UB is conducting a wind study to examine the feasibility of owning and running its own power-generating wind turbines.
"The cost (of wind power) is 25 percent more expensive than from other sources," said Russo. "We expect that to drop over the next five to 10 years, though."
According to Joe Szymanski, senior computer engineering major, the university should spend the money on researching cheaper alternatives to wind power.
"Wind power is an expensive investment," Szymanski said. "If they've got the money, it's worth doing. But it might be better to invest money in researching more alternatives for power sources."
Doug Pashley, a sophomore graphic design major disagreed with Szymanski and said the university is being responsible by utilizing a clean source of energy.
"I think it's a beautiful thing," Pashley said. "It's necessary. There is so much energy being used here 24 hours a day. People, especially in the dorms, keep computers and lights on all day. It makes sense to utilize the wind."
According to Erin Cala, an instructional support assistant in the UB Green Office, the use of wind power is one of many initiatives by UB to improve the university's impact on the environment.
"Our office runs many programs on campus to promote environmental awareness and conservation," she said. "We have an environmental resource room, (which is) a library of materials on the environment, the Think Green campaign, and the Energy conservation campaign."
The office is also involved in energy conservation on campus, citing six reasons, including pollution, global warming and foreign dependence, to conserve the use of traditional energy sources, according to the UB Green Web site.
The Web site states that the deregulation of the electric industry, in New York and across the United States, presented opportunities for the university to invest in clean, renewable sources of power.
