After initially seeking to use an alternative fuel source of plastics and packaging materials at its cogeneration facility, UNC announced Monday it withdrew its request for a permit modification to test the pellets.
A release from the university said it would steer away from the engineered fuel by the Wisconsin-based Covergen Energy, which it applied to the state Department of Environmental Quality to do in August. The idea was to see if the pellets could be added to the West Cameron Avenue plant’s fuel mix alongside coal and natural gas as a lower-emission option — but the update indicated a further review would not meet the standards UNC is seeking.
“Since submitting the original application, the University has determined that the engineered pelletized fuel cannot meet fuel requirements (transportation, availability, consistency) set by UNC-Chapel Hill for its cogeneration power plant,” read the release. “This decision also allows the University time to further assess all options with a new comprehensive energy analysis.”
That analysis will be done in partnership with the North Carolina Collaboratory — a research funding agency based on the Chapel Hill campus and supported by the North Carolina General Assembly — with the goal of creating “a comprehensive energy roadmap” for UNC to help meet its sustainability targets. The university said through that process, it hopes to identify potential alternative energy sources, reduce both energy consumption and carbon emissions, and plan for future utility capacity at its facilities. The analysis is current projected to be finished and shared in early 2026, according to Monday’s alert.
The cogeneration plant on West Cameron Avenue burns its fuel source to create steam, which largely heats and cools the Chapel Hill campus — including the UNC Hospitals facilities. While UNC’s Sustainable Carolina department reports coal use is down 67% since 2007 as the facility has introduce other fuel sources into its mix, the university set a goal in its 2021 Climate Action Plan to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 and end coal use as soon as feasible for the cogeneration plant.
Testing Covergen Energy’s pellets was an early step in attempting to do that, according to UNC, who applied in August for a modification to their air quality permit for the facility to test the pellets across one year. The alternative fuel was roundly criticized, however, by campus and Chapel Hill community members during a public hearing for the permit request held in January — with people sharing concerns of the emissions from burning plastic and packaging byproducts reported to contain PFAS chemicals. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality was then to weigh the public comment alongside UNC’s request before deciding to grant the permit modification.
More on Sustainable Carolina’s partnership with the North Carolina Collaboratory can be found on its website, and the university’s 2023 report on greenhouse gas emissions can be accessed here.
Featured photo via UNC-Chapel Hill.
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