Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and ENGIE Resources announced a series of multiyear energy agreements through 2024 in which the university will purchase energy from the Radford’s Run Wind Farm for its Pittsburgh campus. ENGIE Resources and Amerex Energy Services jointly designed a unique structure to procure energy sourced from the Radford’s Run Wind Farm in Macon County, Illinois, to serve all of the campus’ electricity needs. In a separate agreement, CMU secured Green-e® certified Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) to match its energy usage.
After more than a decade of offsetting 100 percent of its electric power consumption via REC purchases, CMU was interested in an innovative solution to be even more sustainable. With these agreements, CMU encourages wind development across its local power grid without deploying its own capital while demonstrating its commitment to an environmentally responsible campus community. Green-e® RECs are determined by the Center for Resource Solutions to be independently verified to represent the environmental benefits of one MWh of renewable energy. The RECs in this agreement represent the environment benefits equal to the removal of more than 21,000 passenger motor vehicles from highways over two years.
Martin Altschul, director of strategic facilities initiatives at CMU, said that ENGIE’s support of wind projects played a critical role in its selection for retail power.
“We believe sustainability is far more than an academic concept or a performance target,” said Altschul. “It’s a way of life that we reflect in our programs, courses, and student-led initiatives aimed at preserving and protecting our natural resources. It’s also ingrained in our approach to responsible financial planning. ENGIE shares in our dedication, and we’re pleased to have them as an ally in our sustainable business strategy.”
