Climate Change & Energy

Climate Change

Carbon Literacy Project

A training program that helps our community gain an understanding of the basic science behind the climate crisis, the impact different sectors have on our climate, environmental justice issues, climate calculator/mitigation tools, high impact solutions, strategies for communicating or teaching climate literacy, corporate responsibility and ways to take action.

Climate Action Plan

To limit the dangers of climate change, our campus is pursuing an ambitious goal: We seek to power the UMass Amherst campus with 100 percent renewable energy.

Emissions

The campus is continually exploring new ways to reduce campus emissions and posts updated GHG profiles here.

Climate System Research Center 

The Climate System Research Center brings together graduate students, post-docs, research scientists, and university faculty interested in the different aspects of climate. 

Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center (NECASC)

UMass Amherst NECASC is part of a federal network of eight Climate Science Centers created to provide scientific information, tools, and techniques relating to climate change.

Energy

Campus Energy Plan

UMass Amherst developed a comprehensive energy plan in 2015 that maps out the next 10 years of energy usage for the campus.

Central Heating Plant (CHP)

The CHP provides 100% of all campus heating needs and 70% of our own campus electricity and operates within a complex, innovative micro-grid.

Energy Efficiency 

The university designates millions of dollars for energy conservation projects that upgrade or replace inefficient physical structures and technologies on campus. 

Solar Energy

The university now has installed 10 MW of solar capacity across campus on 5 rooftops and over 5 parking lots and has 2 electric battery storage systems.

UMass Clean Energy Extension

The UMass Clean Energy Extension provides a resource to reduce market barriers and accelerate the adoption of clean energy for Massachusetts cities and towns, businesses, institutions, farms, low income and multiunit housing, and others.

Wind Energy Center

The first modern US wind turbine was designed and constructed in the 1970's at UMass Amherst.  The Center has since worked diligently to maintain and enhance wind energy education programs and research activities.

 

Parking Lot 44 surrounded by fall foliage, with a shot of the solar canopy built above the cars in the parking lot