University of Central Oklahoma Awarded Green Honors

From: U.S. EPA

University of Central Oklahoma takes top green power honors School is among 18 nationwide to be recognized by EPA for buying renewable energy

For the second year in a row, the University of Central Oklahoma has purchased more green energy than any other school in the Lone Star Conference.

The school bought 26 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of renewable power and earned top honors in the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2007-2008 College & University Green Power Challenge.

The University of Central Oklahoma purchases 100 percent of its power from wind sources. It also has onsite biodiesel production, works with a performance contractor to increase its energy performance, and uses Energy Star-labeled products. The university’s green power buy is one of the largest by a college or university in the nation and has the equivalent environmental impact of avoiding the carbon dioxide emissions of more than 3,700 vehicles.

Green power is produced from eligible resources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, biomass and low-impact hydro. EPA's Green Power Partnership encourages organizations to buy green power as a way to reduce the environmental impacts associated with traditional fossil fuel-based electricity use.

Additional information on EPA's College & University Green Power Challenge is available at http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/initiatives/cu_challenge.htm. To learn more about activities in EPA Region 6, please visit http://www.epa.gov/region6.