CORRECTION: The original version of this article contained monetary figures that were estimated figures which Elon News Network could not confirm the accuracy of. Elon News Network regrets this error.
Elon University’s greenhouse gas emissions were 26% lower in the 2023 fiscal year than in 2008 fiscal year in efforts to reach Elon’s goal of becoming fully carbon neutral by 2037, according to Senior Director of Sustainability Elaine Durr.
“This decrease is mostly due to the source of Elon’s purchased electricity being less carbon intensive and the purchase of verified carbon offsets for the Carbon Neutral Global Engagement Initiative (CNGEI),” Durr wrote in a statement to Elon News Network.
On Oct. 14, 2024, Elon University released its updated Sustainability Draft Master Plan for feedback from the campus community, both online and in group sessions, which will soon be voted on for final approval. Right now, Elon is working off the 2015 Sustainability Master Plan, which outlines becoming fully carbon neutral by 2037.
The Sustainability Draft Master Plan follows a SMART framework — specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely — and supports the Boldly Elon plan to focus on “what matters most in a college education.” According to The Boldy Elon plan, its goal is to envision a bright future for the university by 2030.
Elon University’s SmartFlower:
Elon University has followed steps in support of its sustainability plan by installing a SmartFlower. The SmartFlower, located outside of Founders Hall and Innovation Hall, was built in spring 2023. Generating between 4,000 and 6,000 kilowatts per hour (kWh) of renewable energy annually, the SmartFlower generates clean energy instead of burning fossil fuels to power the Innovation Quad.
In the U.S., each state has a different cost for kilowatts burned per hour. In North Carolina specifically, 1kWh costs 11.24 cents. Since the SmartFlower generates 4,000 and 6,000 kWh of renewable energy per year, this makes up for between $400 to $700 of clean energy annually.
The SmartFlower, located outside of Founders Hall and Innovation Hall, was built in spring 2023. Generating between 4,000 and 6,000 kilowatts per hour of renewable energy annually, the SmartFlower generates clean energy instead to power the Innovation Quad.
However, the SmartFlower costs anywhere between $25,000 to $30,000 to install, depending on the model and installation process. While Durr did not include the exact price of the SmartFlower, she wrote, “The cost of the SmartFlower was a small fraction of the overall cost of the Founders Hall and Innovation Hall project.”
Elon University’s EcoVillage LLC:
Loy Farm welcomed 12 Elon students to the EcoVillage Living-Learning Community in the fall of 2024. These six new tiny homes are approximately 600 square-feet and include two bedrooms, a full kitchen, a shared bathroom, a common area and a porch per unit.
One out of these six homes was built and designed by professor of environmental studies Robert Charest and his students.
Elon's EcoVillage Living Learning Community welcomed 12 students this fall in six houses.
With Charest’s previous projects, he said the process for selection of materials and design were thoroughly thought out.
“We were always very diligent at choosing materials and construction systems that would not saddle these nonprofit agencies with houses that would require a lot of maintenance and upkeep,” Charest said.
Charest said these houses should last a long time and are built to withstand extreme weather conditions.
“I could see a house like this being an heirloom,” Charest said.
Elon will be adding six more houses for fall 2026, which Charest will not be part of.
Elon University Loy Farm Solar Farm:
Located right next to the EcoVillage LLC, the Elon University solar farm spans 15 acres of university property. Constructed in 2015, the solar farm generates around 4,500 megawatt-hours of electricity annually. Despite being on university property, Elon does not own the panels as it is leased to Loy Farm Solar LLC, a private company that operates the facility.
“Unfortunately, due to regulation in NC, the third-party cannot sell the electricity generated at the solar farm to Elon University,” Durr wrote. “Given this, the electricity generated at the solar farm is sold by the third-party to Duke Energy.”
Despite not receiving any of this energy generated by the solar panels first hand, Elon University sees renewable energy certificates or credits (RECs) instead. These credits would be toward the university’s carbon neutral footprint. RECs can be traded from a buyer to a seller — allowing those who receive these credits to use renewable energy without having to install renewable energy systems, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
“RECs are the environmental attribute or legal instrument that allow for renewable energy claims,” Durr said in a statement.
Durr wrote that Elon University pursued this project to support renewable energy within Alamance County. Along with this environmental help, the university found benefits through education within this sustainable practice.
Elon's solar farm was constructed in 2015 and spans 15 acres of university property. The farm generates around 4,500 megawatt-hours of electricity annually and its leased to Loy Farm Solar LLC, a private company that operates the facility. The university receives renewable energy certificates instead, which allows those who receive these credits to use renewable energy without having to install renewable energy systems, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The Sebree Solar Project II:
Elon’s sustainability efforts are making its way from North Carolina all the way to Kentucky. Elon University and eight other colleges and universities in North Carolina and Pennsylvania partnered up to help the construction of a large-scale solar facility near Robards, Kentucky. Announced in spring 2024, the Sebree Solar Project II will help Elon University reach its goal of carbon neutrality by 2037.
“Elon University is not paying for the cost to build the facility,” Durr wrote. “Given the significant size of solar facility needed to achieve an attractive price on renewable energy, these types of long-term, off-site agreements are typically only accessible to buyers with much higher electricity usage than Elon or any of the partner institutions alone.”
The solar field will generate up to 150 megawatts of clean, renewable energy annually — having enough power for around 24,000 homes. With a 30 year lifespan, the solar field will help residents in Henderson County, Kentucky, save up to $12 million in tax revenue, according to NextEra’s website.
Since the farm is a far distance from Elon University, the school will not see any of this energy first hand.
“In exchange, Elon University will receive renewable energy credits (RECs), which can be used to account for greenhouse gas emissions related to purchased electricity,” Durr wrote.
Senior Colin Gross, secretary of the Sierra Student Coalition at Elon University, said while he is disappointed that Elon will not be seeing any of this energy from the Sebree Solar Project II, he is grateful the university is receiving RECs in return.
“I think in our current situation we should prioritize our campus and see what we can do for our own students,” Gross said. “I think it is a good investment in a way globally. But again, as a student, I’m selfish in a way where I’d want to see our community impacted first.”