What is the name of your institution?
Chiba University of Commerce (CUC)
Why did you sign up to the Race to Zero for Universities and Colleges?
We think that universities are responsible for making our society sustainable by decarbonizing their campuses.
What have you achieved since you have joined the Race to Zero for Universities and Colleges?
When we joined the Race to Zero campaign in February 2020, we had already achieved a net RE100 university in electricity, Goal 1, (in January 2019), and had been trying for Goal 2, to become net RE100 university both in electricity and gas. This means generating renewable power equivalent to the total energy used on campus. We have achievedthe Goal 2 in June 2020 by installing additional rooftop solar panels and taking more energy saving measures. The RE generation rate against consumption was 108% in March 2022. The CO2 saving over the life cycle of our project is 2,544t, which is an 89% reduction by the project. CO2 emission was 2,863t in FY2016 and 319t in FY2021. We pledged and made the plan in 2017 and have been proceeding with it ever since. We have published the results on the CUC website every month and published in scientific papers and a book entitled “SDGs and Universities”. On “persuade”, all external activities of CUC are consistent with the objectives outlined in the pledge.
How are you leading the transition to net-zero? Consider the Leadership Practices and how you are engaging others to join the Race to Zero for Universities and Colleges or other Race to Zero campaigns.
In June 2021, CUC President formed the Renewable Energy University League of Japan with eight university presidents to promote the use of renewable energy. We are sharing all our information and know-how with member universities so they can replicate or modify our project to become RE 100% universities, too. The nine founding members of the League are International Christian University, Wayo Women’s University, the University of the Sacred Heart, the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, the University of Nagano, Sophia University, Hiroshima University, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, and CUC. As of June 2022, the League has grown to have 19 university presidents, including Tokyo Metropolitan University, Ritsumeikan University, Keio University, Meiji University, and Nagoya University among others, with more university presidents considering to join the League.
What challenges have you had?
The goal of the League is to become an RE100 university in the usage of electricity and gas on each campus, which is equivalent to phase 1 and 2 of decarbonization. The next step should be phase 3, which is more difficult than the League’s goal. But we have to achieve it before 2050. For this, we need collaborate with the Race to Zero campaign.
