Sustainability in Action: Biodiesel Production

Dirty cooking oil does not go to waste on the ESF or Syracuse University campuses.

Several times each month, it is gathered in 55-gallon plastic drums and deposited at the old greenhouses on the ESF campus. When heated, cleaned, and processed with methanol and an acid catalyst, it is ready to be mixed and used to power campus vehicles. Biodiesel production involves students at every step of the process, from collection to creation.

Mike Kelleher, ESF Director of Renewable Energy, often integrates the biodiesel project with students' classwork. Engineering students may redesign the biodiesel processing unit, while environmental science students may compute a cost-benefit analysis of expanding the current system.

ESF stores its biodiesel - mixed with petroleum diesel at 5% for winter and 10% in the summer - next to the fuel cell and ethanol tanks behind Walters Hall.

To read more, click here, or visit the project page for even more in-depth information on multiple biodiesel-related projects.

Sustainability in Action: Fuel Cell

ESF's very own fuel cell was dedicated on February 21, 2006. Since its installation, it has provided approximately 17% of campus energy needs (at 250 kW/hour). It does so with close to 0 emissions, through an efficient process that utilizes oxygen, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen from natural gas. In the winter, excess heat from the unit is used, by means of a heat exchanger, to heat adjacent Walters Hall.

To read more about our fuel cell, and check out a diagram of the electricity generation process, click here.

Sustainability in Action: Green Roof

Believe it or not, this is a summertime photo of the rooftop on Walters Hall. As part of the campus-wide sustainability plan, wildflowers and native vegetation were installed as a "green roof".

The green roof system reduces stormwater runoff by slowing moisture passage through its soil layer and root structure. It regulates temperature - the black tar roof is now as cool as a field of wildflowers. This has the added benefit of prolonging the life of the roof.

Plus, for those few weeks in the summer, it is truly eye-catching. Learn more about ESF's efforts, including background and design diagrams, here.