Publication of SDG 7 report
King Salman International University (KSIU) invests in renewable energy projects on campus, such as solar panels and wind turbines, to reduce its carbon footprint. The university also offers courses on sustainable energy solutions and supports research in this field. KSIU publishes yearly reports about SDG 7; the current report is given here.
“Ensure Access to Affordable, Reliable, Sustainable, and Modern Energy for All”
The 2030 goals include access to affordable and reliable energy while increasing the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. This will include improving energy efficiency and enhancing international cooperation to facilitate more open access to clean energy technology and investing in clean energy infrastructure. The plans call for special attention to supporting the infrastructure of least developed countries, small island developing countries, and landlocked developing countries.
Scientific Research
The university’s scientific production in this objective, according to the Scival databases (2021-2024), represents 18 research papers with an impact of 2.34 and 162 reference citations.
The university also encourages researchers to publish internationally to achieve the goal of clean energy.
The University’s Policy to Achieve This Goal
Installing solar panels on the Sharm El-Sheikh campus to generate clean and renewable energy. This reduces dependence on fossil fuels and helps reduce electricity operating costs, contributing to the Green Sharm El Sheikh project. Two stations are also being built in the El Tur and Ras Sudr branches, and the capacity of the Sharm El-Sheikh branch station is being increased.
Establishing a solar power station with a capacity of 80 kilowatts to study and examine the operation of small networks and the operation of the low-voltage network. This project is funded by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) through the Ministry of Trade and Industry in Egypt (1.9 million pounds).
Operating all private facilities in a manner subject to continuous monitoring to monitor the university’s electricity consumption and rationalize its consumption by monitoring consumption indicators.
Activating the university’s electronic infrastructure, which helps in saving electricity through the technology used in lighting and operation.
Connecting the laboratories to the Ras Sudr branch with natural gas to reduce operating costs.
The university adopts many researches and projects on economic and productivity studies.
Focusing on technological education through some colleges, for example, the College of Technological Industries, and providing technical education students enrolled in the university with the necessary skills to qualify for the labor market.
Interest in practical training for students in various specializations.
The university, through the University Center for Professional Development, established in cooperation with the American University, adopts the training of students in various fields, including entrepreneurship.
Helping recent graduates to facilitate their access to job opportunities through the employment and training forums that are organized regularly.
University graduates follow-up office.
Creating new and distinctive programs for undergraduate students in the university’s faculties that are concerned with issues of business administration, economic growth, self-resource management, and projects.
Raising awareness among students, faculty, and administrators about the importance of entrepreneurship.
The university was keen to provide internal transportation with three electric cars as a nucleus for the beginning of the use of new and renewable energy in the El-Tor branch.
The university administration has been keen since its establishment to rationalize energy consumption through the daily operation program for the three branches and the administration’s keenness to use energy-saving and consumption-saving systems and improve the power factor.
From studying and analyzing the data, it became clear that the consumption of electrical energy was rationalized. In 2023, the university installed a solar energy unit in the university branch in Sharm El-Sheikh with a capacity of 80 kW and benefited from this renewable energy during the operation process, as the university’s consumption was 5,372,733 kWh in the 40% operation phase and became 6,966.08 kWh with the 80% operation phase, with a savings rate of 23%.
Using an energy-saving air conditioning system to reduce consumption, which is the VRF system, which operates at variable speeds according to the required loads only without the need for full operation of the system. This system provides approximately 60% of the total electricity consumption for operating air conditioners.
Solar cells contribute to reducing the university’s consumption of non-renewable energy and using green energy. Solar cells contribute about 155 megawatts/year.
The production of new and renewable energy is estimated at 5% of the total annual energy consumed. Work is underway to establish new stations for new and renewable energy, including two solar power stations and a wind power station in the El-Tor branch to increase the percentage of renewable energy production to the total annual energy use.
Using energy-saving devices instead of traditional devices.