With the installation of solar panels, VU Amsterdam takes another step towards a sustainable campus. The ambitions are big: together with Amsterdam UMC, VU Amsterdam wants to be almost gas-free by 2040. This will reduce our CO2 emissions and fulfil the climate agreement and the Paris Agreement. It also fits within the objectives of the Energy Master Plan. We are already well on the way: one hundred percent of our purchased electricity is now sustainably generated by wind energy. By installing solar panels, we are taking the next step by generating our own sustainable electricity.
Why were solar panels not installed earlier?
Priority has been given to making the campus natural gas-free, where we have already made great strides by heating and cooling buildings with Heat and Cold Storage (WKO) underground. This reduces gas consumption to a minimum. By 2021, we have already reduced gas consumption by ca. a third by installing DRUPS (Diesel Rotary Uninterruptible Power Supply System) for emergency power. In 2040 we will only use gas for research.
What will the solar panels yield?
A total of 464 solar panels will be installed on three buildings. The expected yield is:
NU Building: 148 panels yield ca. 62.000 kilowatt-hour (kWh) (± 25 households)
Research Building: 116 panels yield ca. 47.000 kilowatt-hour (kWh) (± 19 households)
Transitorium: 200 panels yield ca. 76.000 kilowatt-hour (kWh) (± 30 households)
Total: 464 panels yield ca. 185.000 kilowatt-hour (kWh) ( ± 74 households)
An average Dutch household consumes about 2,500 kilowatt-hour (kWh) per year.
Why these three buildings?
The NU Building, the Research Building and Transitorium were chosen because they have a suitable rooftop structure with sufficient load-bearing capacity and safety, they are conveniently located to capture sufficient sunlight, have a good connection to the existing energy infrastructure and ensure sufficient space and efficiency for a cost-effective installation.
Maintenance
Good news: solar panels require little maintenance. In most cases, they clean themselves by rain. Only in case of stubborn dirt (such as bird droppings or dust accumulation) are the panels professionally cleaned periodically to keep the yield optimal.
With the installation of 464 solar panels, we are taking an important step towards a sustainable, natural gas-free and energy-efficient campus. The annual output of over 185.000 kilowatt-hour (kWh) directly contributes to our sustainability goals and strengthens VU's energy autonomy. In addition, the solar panels reduce the load on the electricity grid through local energy generation. This project provides a solid basis for further expansion of solar energy in the future. Together, we are building a sustainable future! Will you help us? Read more at: VU Energy Challenge.