Climate Registered™ Spotlight:
Stanford University
Author: Elsie Andreyev
Climate Registered™ Accelerator Recognition Program
The Climate Registry’s Climate Registered Accelerator Program recognizes our members’ efforts in making significant strides in emissions reporting. We want to motivate members by showcasing their accomplishments and stories as they reach new heights in emissions reductions on their road to net zero.
Climate-Registered™ Spotlight: Stanford University
Recognition Tier: Hero
This Climate-Registered™ Spotlight illuminates Stanford University’s inspiring journey in drastically reducing emissions for campus operations towards a net-zero goal of 2050, including interim targets met along the way. We are delighted to commend Stanford’s innovative strategies used to tackle greenhouse gas emissions, the impressive research of faculty and students tackling Scope 3 emissions, and the steps taken to ensure that others can benefit from lessons learned.
To meet Climate Registered™ Hero-level recognition criteria, Stanford provided three verified inventories including a public base year, a publicly disclosed GHG reduction goal, and demonstrated achievement of their interim target of reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 80% by 2023. Keep reading to learn about Stanford’s groundbreaking strategies and initiatives.
- 100% renewable electricity and 80% Scope 1 and 2 GHG reduction by 2025. Stanford University’s 2050 net-zero goal includes two interim targets. Its target of 100% renewable electricity sources was met in early 2022. This achievement of renewable electricity procurement was a key milestone that enabled Stanford to reach its target of reducing its Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 80% below the peak levels of 2011 by 2025. This 80% emissions reduction target was successfully met in the calendar year 2023, two years ahead of schedule. Further efficiency gains are expected through the increased efficiency and expansion of heat recovery at Stanford’s Central Energy Facility, along with future further decarbonization efforts in existing buildings.
- Stanford Energy System Innovations (SESI). In 2011, Stanford developed a plan for a new energy system which was implemented through SESI and includes the university’s renewable electricity portfolio. This program’s initiatives are responsible for the vast majority of Stanford’s emissions reduction and one of the world’s most extensive and inventive energy supply transformations for a campus of their size. SESI includes the Central Energy Plant Optimization Model, which utilizes model predictive software to power energy demand management and works with the California grid to optimize energy use throughout the day and can more accurately forecast campus load and better manage energy needs.
- Central Energy Facility (CEF). At the heart of SESI is the CEF, which was completed in 2015 and houses several groundbreaking innovations. It includes a multifaceted system that provides Stanford with sustainable, cost-efficient, thermal energy via the CEF heat recovery system and thermal storage tanks. Replacing a prior cogeneration system, the CEF allowed the campus to reduce potable water consumption by 18%. SESI and the CEF will allow the university to save an estimated $420 million over 35 years (since 2017).
- Tackling remaining emissions and knowledge sharing. Addressing the hardest-to-abate emissions that remain–such as district level and individual building stationary combustion and hydrofluorocarbons–requires robust planning, investment, data collection, and analysis tools. Stanford is currently undergoing a comprehensive climate action planning effort to strategize the reduction of its remaining scope 1, 2, & 3 emissions, while also preparing the campus for climate adaptation and resilience. The university’s ultimate goals include ensuring that knowledge learned at Stanford will allow others to implement the same innovations on their journeys to net-zero. Their ongoing work and the ingenuity and accomplishments of SESI serve as an operational sustainability model for other campuses, organizations, and cities.
Learn more about Stanford’s climate action planning and the update to their Climate Action Plan, coming in 2026.
“Stanford is grateful for our partnership with The Climate Registry, which supports our commitment to accountability and transparency in advancing climate action,” said Sam Lubow, Associate Director of Climate Action in the Office of Sustainability. “Earning Climate Registered Accelerator Hero status is a testament to the remarkable collaboration across our campus—where staff, faculty, and students contribute invaluable expertise, innovation, and dedication. This recognition highlights our continued commitment to emissions reduction and sustainability, as we keep strategizing improvements that align with our goals for a more sustainable future.”
Applications for Climate Registered Accelerator are accepted year-round. Submit your application today to be recognized as a Climate Registered Accelerator! If you missed our webinar detailing criteria for the new program and how to apply, the recording and slide deck is now available.