Which colleges are leading the way to 100% renewable energy?

America's colleges and universities are riding the crest of the renewable energy wave.

America’s colleges and universities are riding the crest of the renewable energy wave.

On April 4, we released a report by our partners at Environment America Research & Policy Center that ranked educational institutions on their shift to renewable energy sources like solar and wind power. Southwestern University topped the list for renewable electricity; Colgate University led in renewable heating, cooling and other non-electric energy; and Ringling College of Art and Design had the highest percentage of electric campus vehicles.

“Future and current students care deeply about the role higher education is playing in the fight against climate change,” said Bronte Payne, director of our national network’s 100% Renewable Campuses campaign. “With this report, they now have valuable data regarding which colleges and universities are leading the charge to a renewable energy future.”

Bronte and her team have already encouraged Boston University, the University of California system and others to commit to 100 percent renewable energy. Our goal is for 50 more campuses nationwide to join them by June 2020.

Read the report.

Photo: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign students participate in the 2011 U.S. Dept. of Energy Solar Decathlon. Credit: stantontcady via Flickr (CC-BY-ND 2.0)