Ben-Gurion University of the
Negev will soon produce 20% of its energy needs on the Marcus Family Campus
from solar energy. This week, solar panels were installed on the roofs of three
buildings on campus in the first stage of the initiative.
The project, at an estimated cost of NIS 2 million, will replace more polluting
fuels once completed. The University is expected to recoup this investment
within a few years as it reduces its energy expenses.
Last month, Dr. Daniel Farb donated a small wind turbine called the Tulip
developed by his company, which will charge laptops and phones from wind
energy.
In April, the University announced it would stop
investing in companies that produce oil and coal and move those investments and
all future investments into alternative energies and investment vehicles
governed by ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) principles.
The University was awarded Green Campus status by
the Ministry of Environmental Protection in 2010 and has been among the top
universities worldwide in green rankings. Bike racks, electronic recycling, and
solar and wind-powered charging stations can be found all over campus.
Ben-Gurion University has the largest concentration of environmental scientists
in Israel. The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research have been
studying environmental issues for 50 years. Leveraging these strengths, the
Goldman-Sonnenfeldt School of Sustainability and Climate Change was dedicated in May. It
brings together more than 150 labs on the University's three campuses to tackle
these issues.
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