University launches alternative energy analysis to develop energy roadmap
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has withdrawn its application for a modification of its Title V air quality permit submitted to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality. The application was submitted to allow for the testing of an engineered pelletized fuel in the Cameron Avenue Cogeneration Facility.
Since submitting the original application, the University has determined that the engineered pelletized fuel cannot meet fuel requirements (transportation, availability, consistency) set by UNC-Chapel Hill for its cogeneration power plant. This decision also allows the University time to further assess all options with a new comprehensive energy analysis.
In partnership with the North Carolina Collaboratory, the University has recently launched an alternative energy analysis to develop a comprehensive energy roadmap to meet our sustainability targets, plan for future utility capacity and growth, identify potential alternative energy sources, reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions and provide resiliency and redundancy. Completion of the analysis is expected in early 2026.
The cogeneration facility uses both natural gas and coal to generate steam that is used for heating, humidification, domestic hot water and other services for University academic, residence and research buildings and UNC Health. UNC-Chapel Hill is currently combusting the lowest amount of coal since the cogeneration plant came online and has significantly lowered campus emissions. UNC-Chapel Hill’s 2021 Climate Action Plan aims to end coal use at the Cameron Avenue Cogeneration Facility as soon as feasible and achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, a decade earlier than originally planned.