As one of the newest coal-fired generation facilities in the country, we have the unique opportunity to be a new face for coal and set the standard for the future; that’s why we focus on sustainable business practices. We strive to reduce or offset our emissions wherever possible, and we work hard to continuously reduce our impact on the environment. One way we offset carbon emissions is by utilizing electric vehicles.
Currently, there are three electric vehicles in use across campus. So, how do they offset carbon emissions? Consider driving a truck or SUV. The gasoline used to power this vehicle would emit 19.64 lbs. of CO2 per gallon. If you get an average of 14 miles per gallon, this would equate to an emitted 1.403 lbs. of CO2 per mile driven.
The generation of energy (enough to fully charge an electric vehicle) would emit around 0.5952 lbs. of CO2. When comparing that number to the 1.403 lbs. of CO2 emitted per mile driven in the truck or SUV, driving an electric car would offset 0.8078 lbs. of CO2 per mile driven.
In 2018, Prairie State’s electric vehicles were driven 4,217 miles. This offset 1.7 tons of CO2. Since 2016, approximately 4.4 tons of CO2 have been offset by electric vehicle use across campus.