For more than 125 years, the university's power plant (pdf) has been providing electricity and steam to support campus needs. The original cogeneration power plant was constructed in 1891, and was located north of the current Laboratory of Mechanics building, then known as Engineering Hall.  As campus energy demands continued to grow, and a new plant was built in 1906 at the current location on Beach Road. Since that time, the power plant has been expanded and modified to meet increasing energy demands and ever more stringent environmental regulations. The co-generation power plant is the only source of heating and cooling for the main campus and has the capability to generate electricity to support all campus operations, if needed.

Though the university incorporates non-renewable fuels within its current fuel portfolio to meet campus energy demands, reduction of non-renewables is an ongoing goal. In 2009, ISU and the City of Ames entered into a joint contract with a local wind farm to purchase the equivalent wind power of 10% of ISU’s electrical consumption. Though contracted to receive this percentage, various challenges with transmission capacity and wind farm productivity have resulted in lower consumption percentages. In addition to wind energy, ISU has agreed to purchase 37.5% of the electricity generated at the new City of Ames solar farm, becoming operational in 2021.  The remaining bulk electricity purchases from the Midwest electrical grid are then sourced from renewable energy providers using renewable energy credits.

In 2012, the three Regents Institutions collaborated on a joint Environmental Strategies Study to help identify alternatives to satisfy present and future campus energy demands, while considering future environmental regulations, campus sustainability goals and life cycle costs. This led to the current renovations to the power plant, increasing operational efficiencies, as well as providing enhanced infrastructure to diversify ISU's fuel portfolio to include natural gas. These efforts continue with project planning underway to migrate toward carbon neutrality with Iowa State University becoming a coal-free campus in 2023.

Iowa State explores efficiency improvements, alternative energy sources and other strategies to improve operations and minimize emissions on an ongoing basis, monitoring all emissions from the operation of the power plant, as well as operations supporting the day-to-day needs of the university. Reporting of greenhouse gas emissions is completed on an annual basis and utilized for performance tracking and process improvement planning an ongoing basis. Utilities Services has tested alternative energy sources, such as construction and demolition waste, wood pellets and wood chips. Some of these products have their own environmental and economic challenges. Staff members continue to explore other energy sources that can reduce emissions without significant increases in cost.

Compliance with all environmental regulations is one of the responsibilities of the power plant staff. Because of the plant efficiency and the proper operation of the plant and its pollution control systems, the power plant operates at emission levels significantly lower than permitted by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

To complement the university's efforts to diversify its energy portfolio, a number of energy efficiency initiatives have been put into action to reduce Iowa State's collective energy demand. These initiatives range include the installation of energy savings devices (occupancy sensors, timers and vending machine misers),replacement of building / parking lot / sidewalk lights with LED lighting, window replacements, building ventilation setbacks during evening hours and extended University breaks, along continued monitoring of building systems to identify efficiency opportunities and operations efficacy by the building re-commissioning team. All of these initiatives have resulted in a reduction of campus energy consumption.

See the dropdowns below to see how Energy & Climate considerations are making an impact within each of the three facets of sustainability.

  • The ISU power plant employs about 84 dedicated individuals. Their jobs support the power plant's ability to supply all utility demands on Iowa State's campus in an energy-efficient manner.
  • Since the 1980s, Iowa State has had an Energy Management Group that analyzes and prioritizes the energy use of heating, ventilation and air conditioning.
  • Temperature systems throughout campus are scheduled to turn off, as well as be put into "economic mode," which pulls in cool outside air instead of mechanically cooling air.
  • Air conditioning systems have high-efficiency air filters that last 3-4 times as long as conventional filters and can be reused.
  • Iowa State adopted the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification system in all construction and major renovation projects, which encourages more efficient, and therefore cost-effective, buildings that take less energy to heat, cool, and illuminate.

  • To save money and be more considerate of the environment, the ISU power plant added natural gas to its fuel portfolio, resulting in 60% gas and 40% coal feedstock.
  • The $42 million conversion project, completed in 2016, resulted in the reduction of total emissions by 80% and the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by 20%.
  • About 7% of total campus energy comes from electricity generated through contracted wind energy in partnership with the City of Ames.
  • One of the technologies incorporated at the power plant in 1891 and still in use is the process of “cogeneration,” the process of using a single fuel source to simultaneously produce both thermal energy (in the form of steam and chilled water) and electricity at the same time, sometimes called Combined Heat and Power, toward increased efficiency.
  • Two of the power plant's boilers, called circulating fluidized bed boilers, were installed in 1988 and burn limestone with the coal. The limestone reacts with the sulfur in the coal to remove more than 90% of the sulfur from emission gases. The lower combustion temperature in these boilers also minimizes the emissions of nitrogen oxides. Plans are in place to convert the boilers to natural gas by 2025, totally discontinuing the use of coal within the power plant.
  • Utility Services has agreed to purchase 37.5% of the electricity produced at the new City of Ames solar garden, becoming operational in 2021.
  • Initiated in 2020, electricity purchased from the Midwest electricity grid is sourced from renewable electricity providers using renewable energy credits.

  • Iowa State University has many “demonstration projects” that are used for student research, including a wind turbine installed in 2013, and solar panels installed in 2015. 
    • Utility Services collects data from these demonstration projects, as well as the wind farm, to share with students and the public.
  • Iowa State is part of the Big 10 & Friends Utility Group. The group consists of about 25 universities, which meet each spring. These universities support each other with communication about various topics related to energy on an ongoing basis.
  • Utility Services provides opportunities to tour the power plant. Each year, 700-800 students tour and learn more about it.
  • Utility Services promotes well-being by monitoring how much light is in a room to ensure lighting levels that support maximum performance of students, faculty and staff.
  • The staff at the power plant partners with Live Green!, gives lectures, connects with Student Government, as well as partners with various student groups, to increase education and awareness regarding ISU's commitment to renewable energy and the campus community's opportunity to monitor ISU's real-time energy consumption.
  • Utility Services' Energy Dashboard monitors campus energy use on a daily and hourly basis.

These are exciting times as sustainability increasingly becomes a way of life rather than a cause. This is not only fundamental to our educational mission, it provides insight to plan and prepare a sustainability portfolio that best balances renewable energy with conservation and economic practices.

Merry Rankin, Director of Sustainability