In May, our Carbon Net Zero Energy Team welcomed a group of students from Bucknell University, Pennsylvania to the University of Edinburgh. Image 20 students, studying a mixture of Engineering and Business, visited the University's Easter Bush campus to learn about our sustainability strategy, progress towards net zero and how we work to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). David Jack, Energy and Utilities Operations Manager and Robert MacGregor, Energy Engineering Manager gave a presentation on the University’s wider sustainability work before the students spilt into groups to see more of the campus. Each group visited the Combined Heat and Power (CHP) energy centre and solar farm as well as seeing some of the fantastic biodiversity work being carried out on the Midlothian based campus.The solar farm at Easter Bush, one of the first to be housed on a university campus, provides almost 20 percent of the site’s electricity consumption, equivalent to power for around 500 homes. Its photovoltaic (PV) panels generate more than 1.4m kWh of electricity a year. The land around the panels is also used by the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine for sheep grazing.The students also received a presentation from Stephen Hooker, Easter Bush Campus Transport, Facilities & Technical Manager about the history of the Easter Bush campus.The American students’ visit was part of a larger trip across Scotland focused on sustainable management and technology. During their trip they also visited crofters in Harris who produce fabric for Harris Tweed, Pitlochry Dam and the textile mill Johnston’s of Elgin. Publication date 21 May, 2024
