UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Since 2005, Penn State has worked steadily toward lowering its University-wide greenhouse gas emissions. Along the way, the University set and met various goals — including a 17.5% reduction by 2012 and a 35% reduction by 2020 — and recently exceeded a 50% reduction, marking a major milestone.

The University-wide focus on decarbonization has been the result of significant effort over many years. Several initiatives have contributed to Penn State’s significant progress, including, but not limited to, various utility plant improvements; energy savings programs; green design standards; and, most recently, the 25-year solar power purchase agreement the University executed with Lightsource bp to supply 25% of the University’s statewide electricity needs using power generated at three Franklin County solar sites. Information about these projects and more can be found on Penn State Sustainability’s website, including the University’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory dashboard.

Another key contributor to the carbon emissions reductions in recent years has been the increase in power generated on campus at the West Campus Steam Plant. This, coupled with the 70-megawatt solar array agreement, have been major contributors to the University reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 28% in the last five years alone.

“This important milestone represents significant progress over many years by Penn State’s Office of Physical Plant, Auxiliary and Business Services, and other units across Penn State,” said Lara Fowler, director of Penn State Sustainability and the University’s chief sustainability officer. “As we continue work to decrease our greenhouse gas emissions, we wanted to celebrate this achievement.”

Continuing its positive momentum, the University has established action teams comprised of staff, faculty and students to help shape the future of carbon reduction at Penn State. The action teams' areas of focus include long-established initiatives such as energy savings, sustainable labs and transportation, while new focus areas include agriculture, carbon offsets and financing, among others.

Visit sustainability.psu.edu to learn more about sustainability efforts at Penn State or to get involved.