Wind to fully power OU campus by 2013
Wind to fully power OU campus by 2013

By Susan Simpson

Published: September 11, 2008

NORMAN — The University of Oklahoma plans to buy all electricity for the Norman campus from wind power generated by Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co., OU President David Boren said Wednesday.

OU now uses about 10 percent wind power but plans to completely convert by 2013. Boren said the switch will cost about $60,000 in initial surcharges, but the university could end up breaking even or making a profit by selling carbon credits on the Chicago Climate Exchange and participating in investment funds with OG&E.

"It is our patriotic duty as Americans to help our country achieve energy independence,” Boren said at a news conference at OU. "We should become a national role model for the environment.”

Boren said OU would be the nation's largest public college to convert to renewable energy. The University of Central Oklahoma also uses wind power.

The conversion would come as OG&E builds a new wind farm near Woodward that will be called the OU Spirit Wind Farm.

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission still must approve the planned wind farm and a new transmission line that is planned to run between Woodward and Oklahoma City.

OU also plans to purchase more vehicles running on compressed natural gas and electricity and has invited the city of Norman to use a planned compressed natural gas filling station.

OG&E will sponsor internships and some scholarships for OU students in wind power-related careers, said company chairman Pete Delaney. Delaney said more than $4 billion will be invested in wind energy in Oklahoma over the next six years.

"We are taking an important step to make Oklahoma a leader in renewable energy,” he said.

Boren is among 150 presidents to sign the American College and University President Climate Commitment, which calls on colleges and universities to initiate plans to "achieve climate neutrality as soon as possible.”

Dozens of students were at the announcement, and one asked Boren if rival Oklahoma State University is planning the same energy conversion.

Boren noted the wind power plan of OSU benefactor T. Boone Pickens and quipped about OSU, "Those people must be extremely proud of the University of Oklahoma. They should be so proud they might even send us money.”

OSU spokesman Gary Shutt said OSU uses some wind power but also is discussing with OG&E ways to use more wind power.

The project has a budget of $120 million, with funding also coming from private sources. Construction on the center is expected to be substantially completed by June 2010.

Regents also approved a 2 percent salary and wage increases, totaling $4.9 million, for faculty and staff on the Norman campus. The raises are effective Sept. 27 for hourly employees and on Oct. 1 for monthly employees.

Boren also announced that OU has entered into "preliminary discussions” with at least two area hospitals and one foundation to continue indigent health care in Tulsa if the Oklahoma State University Medical Center were to close.

The aging downtown facility, once known as Tulsa Regional Medical Center, has a long history of serving Tulsa's poor.

The center's future has been unclear since it was recently announced that the school's medical residency program would move to St. Francis Health System in south Tulsa.

Boren said there have been concerns about what would happen to indigent care if the medical center closes, and he said OU and its College of Medicine are "all willing and wanting to do our part” to help.

OSU President Burns Hargis said, "We are glad others are joining in the efforts to treat the most needy in Tulsa. This is important. We at OSU stand ready and willing to do what we can to advance this endeavor.”

Contributing: The Associated Press

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