Energy Usage and Literacy at Universities in the United States
Open Access
- Author:
- Le May, Emma
- Area of Honors:
- Mechanical Engineering
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Jacqueline Antonia O'Connor, Thesis Supervisor
Daniel Humberto Cortes Correales, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- Energy
Campus energy
renewable energy - Abstract:
- Energy production and usage is a critical topic at universities in the United States as many top-level universities are looking to lead the way in applying research on renewable energy on their campuses. In 2008, 63% of incoming fist year students said they would like to have information on their universities’ commitment to sustainable energy practices. This thesis addresses the issue of how campuses across the United States share their energy practices as well as looking specifically at energy generation and usage at Penn State throughout the pandemic. There is a lack of published material on how universities across the United States incorporate real time energy data from their campus into their curriculum for their students or as available resources for the students. Comparing public access information for universities in the United States, a study on how energy is generated, where energy is sourced from, and how available that information is (especially to students) is able to be done. Looking at universities on a similar level allowed a limited understanding of the national energy scene before discussing energy generation and usage at Penn State in particular. The generation of electricity and steam at various generation points at University Park are analyzed. Additionally, the usage of both electricity and steam are compared in terms of campus occupancy and temperature. These topics are then analyzed through the lens of the pandemic. The various impacts of phases of COVID-19 policies are explained. Finally, the renewable energy capabilities of Penn State are analyzed and compared.