Coal consumption by US educational institutions declines by 64%

Coal consumption by educational institutions in the US fell from 2 million short t in 2008 to 700 000 short t in 2015, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). Consumption declined in each of the 57 institutions that used coal in 2008, with 20 of these institutions no longer using coal at all.

Coal use at educational institutions makes up less than 0.1% of total coal consumption in 2015.

Educational institutions in New York, South Carolina, Idaho, and South Dakota ceased to use coal between 2008 and 2015. These institutions either built or expanded their natural gas capacity, aided by state funding, or increased their electricity purchases from public utilities.

The largest reductions in coal consumption by educational institutions between 2008 and 2015 occurred in Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, and Tennessee. Educational institutions in Indiana collectively reduced coal consumption by 260 000 t (81%) from 2008 to 2015. Coal was replaced mostly by natural gas and geothermal heat to meet sustainability initiatives set by each university.

Educational institutions in Michigan reduced their coal use by more than 80% over this period, adopting natural gas as the major fuel. Some institutions in Missouri added more renewable sources of power, replacing coal with biomass. Three institutions in Tennessee stopped using coal between 2008 and 2015, resulting in a 94% drop in coal consumption by institutions in the state. Many of their cogeneration plants were converted to burn only natural gas.

Edited from press release by Angharad Lock

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/power/30082016/coal-consumption-by-us-educational-institutions-declines-by-64/