First clean energy, self-sufficient campus in the world

The wind turbine that was installed as part of the Bogaziçi University Wind Power Plant (BÜRES) project at the Bogaziçi University Sarıtepe Campus, started to generate electricity on Dec. 27, 2014, making it the only campus in the world that "meets the whole of its electricity demands from its own wind power plant." Chancellor Bogaziçi University, Professor Dr. Gülay Barbarosoğlu, said in a written statement: "Our university has revealed its determination to create sustainable living spaces once more with this project that brings the Sarıtepe campus into a special place in the university."

Being the first campus that generates its energy from a renewable wind resource, the Kilyos Sarıtepe Campus will save 1 million kilowatt-hours of energy and TL 400,000 ($174,200) generating 40 percent more than its annual electricity consumption and preventing 900 tons of carbon emissions thanks to its 1 megawatt wind turbine. Associate Professor Emre Otay of the Boğaziçi University Civil Engineering Department and the coordinator of the project, said a research and development process has been started simultaneously with the BÜRES project, adding, "Installing the wind power plant, we also focused on engineering studies. We will track energy generation and consumption in addition to mechanical, geotechnical and environmental data; thus, we will research the sustainability of wind power plants."

Besides renewable energy resources such as wind, solar, wave, bio-gas and geothermal energy, there are also academic studies on energy storage that were conducted before and on energy efficiency in the buildings of the Boğaziçi University Sarıtepe Campus.

Pointing out that properly calculated investments to turn the buildings into energy-efficient places are much more economic than installing renewable power plants, Otay said: "In addition to generating energy from renewable resources, the project also includes conscious spending, saving the extra energy and handling carbon emission. Our main purpose is to reach zero-net energy level on this campus. We would like to be an eco-friendly, sustainable and green campus that can maintain itself without being a burden on its neighbors in terms of energy and water."