UCO has saved nearly an extra $2,000 per month so far this year because it's not at the mercy of oil and gas price fluctuations said Charles Burgett, general manager at Edmond Electric.
UCO originally estimated on saving $260,000 a year on energy cost when it switched to wind electricity in 2004. But that was when gas prices were at a little more than $2 per gallon.
This makes the switch to wind energy look even better.
UCO is one of the biggest users of wind energy in the country as it receives all its energy on campus from wind power. This has led to UCO being recognized for its energy conservative efforts from the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
According to Edmond Electric, the company who supplies the wind energy to UCO, says wind powered energy costs nine cents per 100-kilowatt block. Electric gas on the other hand however, is cheaper per 100-kilowatt block.
Unlike wind energy, which is produced at a constant cost, gas electric prices change every 30 days depending on the cost of gas and fuel.
"Wind power is very efficient because it's natural and it doesn't cost anything to produce or maintain," said Charlie Johnson, executive director of University Relations.
Johnson said there wasn't an exact amount on how much UCO spends on wind energy, but according to the UCO Web site, the use of wind power energy saves the university around $260,000 annually.
Johnson said with the gas prices increasing daily, the cost of gas energy the next few months is also expected to increase.
"The cost of natural gas energy changes sufficiently because the prices all depend on how high gas is that day," Johnson said.
UCO has been using a campus wide green program since 2004. It is designed to make UCO a more environmentally friendly campus.
Currently, UCO uses 100 percent green energy through wind power, producing and using bio-diesel fuel, making energy efficiency improvements to the physical plant.
According to a recent UCO press release, UCO Vice President Steve Kreidler estimates UCO has saved approximately $15 million since beginning its campus wide green initiatives in 2004.
"The switch is good for the environment and it helps taxpayers save money," Kriedler said
Since becoming a green university, UCO has received several awards and honors for the efforts. Among the awards were Keep Oklahoma Beautiful Vanguard award and Oklahoma State University's Green Award for Sustainability. UCO was also named to the EPA's Green Power Leadership Club last year.
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