" All organization that is wholly selfish cannot last long. If we, as a Rotary club, expect to survive and grow, we must do some things to justify our existence. We must perform a civic service". Donald Carter - 1906

1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

Swarthmore College is in the midst of an ambitious and capital-intensive plan to become carbon neutral by 2035 according to a presentation by Andy Feick, Associate Vice President for Facilities, and Hannah Ulloa, Climate Action Manager. The centerpiece is the replacement of the college’s natural gas fired steam distribution system with a geothermal exchange system. Geothermal systems utilize the heat of the earth itself, an inexhaustible energy source. When complete, there will be 350 connected geothermal wells on the campus. Presently, they have drilled about 100. All wells will be tied into the exchange system that will be housed under the new dining hall building. Newer buildings in the north campus will be connected first as they require less renovation to accommodate the new system.

The geothermal project is expected to cost about $130,000,000 and will be funded in part by federal grants. The existing steam system has become unreliable with much needed maintenance having been deferred over the years. As a result, an analysis of the cost of fixing and operating the current steam system versus the cost of building and operating a new geothermal system showed the alternatives to be financially equal. However, replacing the fossil-fuel system with a carbon-free energy system yields additional environmental and climate change benefits.

Although perhaps the most visible piece, the geothermal exchange system is only part of the college’s sustainability efforts. The college will also construct an off-site plant to produce electricity from renewable sources and enter into a Virtual Power Purchase Agreement. While this may not affect the college directly, it will add more renewable capability to the grid and therefore contribute to carbon neutrality.

The college is also showing its commitment in the way its buildings are being designed and utilized. For example, the new dining hall is all electric and the roof is covered with solar panels. The unusual roof design is configured to capture an optimal amount of solar energy as the sun’s position changes throughout the year. The 400kW panels will provide about 28% of the dining hall’s electricity demands. The college has also made strides in composting discarded food effectively, including by reducing the amount of food waste. To that end, the dining hall does not even provide trays, as their use encourages over-consumption and therefore waste, and energy and water resources must be expended to keep them clean.

Many thanks to Andy Feick and Hannah Ulloa for giving us the opportunity to learn more about this project (and allowing us to dine on the excellent offerings in the new dining hall!).