Energy & Renewables

Renewable Energy

Group standing around rooftop solar panels

Purchased electricity accounts for about half of the University’s potential GHG emissions — and thus remains a key target for conservation, efficiency, and ongoing source shifts to cleaner options.

Under the Pitt Sustainability Plan, the University is committed to producing or procuring 50% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and 100% by 2037, to help reach carbon neutrality.

In 2024, 32.4% of the University’s electricity originated from renewable energy sources. Learn more about our progress.

Closing this gap requires a combination of solutions, including on-site renewables, directly purchased renewables, long-term power purchase agreements, and renewable energy certificates (all detailed below).

  • The University of Pittsburgh has rooftop solar installations dating back to 2012 — and is planning for additional future installations.
     
  • Rooftop solar arrays currently adorn Petersen Sports Complex and Ruskin Hall on the Pittsburgh campus, with many more in design and construction.

Learn more on the Solar page.

The University of Pittsburgh is currently committed to one long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) for local, renewable electricity. The University purchases all of the electricity from the 20-megawatt Gaucho Solar facility just 25 miles from the Pittsburgh campus (on the border of Allegheny and Beaver Counties). This ~35,000 MWh annually is ~18% of Pitt’s annual electricity need.
 

  • In 2019, Pitt’s first 100% renewables contract was for a small electricity portfolio representing 4% of the University’s annual electricity usage.
     
  • In mid-2020, Pitt committed another ~7% of its electricity usage to 100% renewables via a separate contract.
     
  • Current retail contracts (2022-25) include 20% renewables or better.
     
  • In 2024, Pitt joined the Western Pennsylvania Energy Consortium, helping ensure additional renewable electricity.

  • In 2009, Pitt began regularly purchasing small amounts of renewable energy certificates (RECs) specific to LEED building certifications.
     
  • For both FY19 & FY20, the University purchased 32,000 RECs (or 32,000 MWh), equating nearly 14% of Pitt’s annual electricity consumption.
     
  • All RECs purchased by Pitt for LEED projects were Green-e certified; today, the University does not procure separate RECs for standalone projects, instead relying on long-term PPAs and structured retail agreements.
     
  • Learn what a REC is from the U.S. EPA.

We're a Power Partner

In 2018, Pitt joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Green Power Partnership to reduce the environmental impacts associated with conventional electricity use.

Learn More