Energy Efficiency Plan

 Energy Efficiency Plan 2024–2028

An-Najah National University (ANNU) has established a comprehensive Energy Efficiency Plan to systematically reduce energy consumption across all campuses, achieve full renewable-energy reliance, and support its verified Net Zero 2028 commitment.
This plan integrates renewable generation, smart-campus management, and data-driven monitoring through the Najah2Twin Smart Campus Dashboard, ensuring measurable progress toward energy independence and carbon neutrality.

1. Policy and Governance

• Responsible Unit: Sustainability Office and Energy Unit.

• Supervising Body: Climate Action and Energy Committee (established 2023).

• Monitoring Tool: Najah2Twin Smart Campus Dashboard – a real-time IoT-based system for tracking electricity, water, and HVAC energy loads.

• Review Cycle: Annual evaluation through the Carbon Footprint and Energy Report (2019–2024) and the Climate Action Plan 2024–2028.

2. Baseline and Achievements

Indicator	2019 (Baseline)	2024 (Current)	% Change
Total Electricity Consumption	7,304,843 kWh	1,572,222 kWh	–78 % ↓
Electricity from Renewables	173,443 kWh	3,320,168 kWh	+1,815 % ↑
Diesel Consumption	183,250 L	85,123 L	–54 % ↓
GHG Emissions (Scope 1 + 2)	5,485 tCO₂e	254 tCO₂e	–95 % ↓

Result:
ANNU became 100 % powered by renewable electricity in 2024, completely eliminating dependence on purchased grid power and reducing gross carbon emissions by 93 % compared with the 2019 baseline

3. Key Components of the Energy Efficiency Plan

A. Energy-Efficient Infrastructure

• Retrofitting all existing buildings with LED lighting, improved insulation, and high-efficiency HVAC systems.

• Full integration of Building Management Systems (BMS) for automated control of lighting, temperature, and ventilation.

• Power-factor correction and load-balancing technologies installed campus-wide.

B. Renewable Energy Expansion

• 2.9 MWp of on-campus solar PV systems generating 2.96 GWh/year.

• Solar Water Heating Systems (481,800 kWh/year) for swimming pool and campus facilities.

• Biogas and biodiesel units converting organic waste and used oils into clean fuel.

• Small wind-turbine systems powering remote monitoring stations and campus lighting.

C. Smart Monitoring and Auditing

• Continuous auditing through Najah2Twin sensors and annual Energy Use Index (EUI) benchmarking.

• Targeted Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs) derived from audit results, including overnight load reduction, HVAC scheduling, and ICT power optimization.

D. Awareness and Capacity Building

• Annual “Turn It Off – Save Our Future” campaign engaging 6,000+ students and staff.

• Carbon Literacy Training mandatory for facility managers.

• Integration of energy-efficiency topics into engineering and environmental courses.

4. Future Energy Reduction Targets

Goal	Target Year	Performance Indicator
Maintain 100 % renewable-energy operation	2024–2028	0 kWh purchased from grid
Reduce overall energy intensity by 40 %	2028	kWh/m² vs 2019 baseline
Full LED lighting and BMS integration	2026	All buildings and outdoor areas
Expand PV capacity to 4 MWp	2026	≥ 20 % surplus production
Net Zero Energy verified	2028	Energy balance = 0 kWh

5. Commitment to the Palestine Green Building Guideline (2024)

All new constructions and renovations comply with national green-building standards, ensuring:

• Maximum daylight use and passive ventilation.

• Energy-efficient envelope and HVAC design.

• Rainwater harvesting and greywater reuse.

• Sustainable local materials and waste recycling in construction.

6. Monitoring and Reporting

• Quarterly energy reports generated via Najah2Twin.

• Annual Carbon Footprint Report published for transparency.

• External validation through EU-funded Med-EcoSuRe and Najah2Twin projects.

• Data publicly available on ANNU’s Sustainability Portal.

7. Financing and Partnerships

• Green financing from EU Erasmus+, ENI CBC Med, ,,,,,etc programs.

• Corporate and alumni sponsorship for solar expansion and smart-building technologies.

• Reinvestment of energy-savings into research, climate innovation, and community projects.

8. Key Results (as of 2024)

• 78 % reduction in electricity use since 2019.
• 100 % of electricity demand met by on-campus renewables.
• 95 % reduction in direct GHG emissions.
• Smart-campus energy dashboard active across all faculties.
• Green Building Guideline applied to every new project.

Conclusion

An-Najah National University’s Energy Efficiency Plan 2024–2028 represents a mature, evidence-based institutional framework for reducing energy consumption and achieving operational sustainability.
Through renewable integration, smart-campus innovation, and policy alignment with the Palestine Green Building Guideline (2024), ANNU has become the first university in Palestine to operate entirely on renewable energy.
This comprehensive plan directly supports SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action), providing a replicable model of excellence for higher-education institutions worldwide.

Description

An-Najah National University (ANNU) is a pioneer in Palestine in adopting renewable energy solutions to reduce dependence on the Israeli grid, cut costs, and promote sustainability. Due to high electricity prices and frequent blackouts, ANNU has strategically invested in renewable energy projects across its campuses.

1. Solar Power (PV & Thermal)

• Solar Water Heating (SWH):

  • On the roof of the Sport Complex, a solar water heating system is installed with a capacity of 481,800 kWh/year. for producing hot water preheat of the swimming pool since 2012.

• Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Systems (Implemented + Planned, counted as operational):

• 41 kWp – Faculty of Pharmacy (2016)

• 80 kWp – Faculty of Engineering (2018)

• 997 kWp – Ground-mounted PV, Nasaria Farm (2020)

• 145 kWp – Old Campus (2021)

• 50 kWp – PV Carport, College of Arts South Garage (2022)

• 3.18 kWp – Off-grid Solar Tree, New Campus (2022)

• 77.8 kWp – College of Agriculture & Veterinary Medicine, Tulkarem (2022–2023)

• 105 kWp – Hisham Hijjawi Technical College (2022–2023)

• 50 kWp – PV Pumping, Nasaria Farm (2024)

• 2 MWp Ground-mounted PV – 4 stages, 500 kWp each (2025–2027) – next year

Total Solar Capacity: ~2.9 MWp
Annual Production: ~ 2,960,168 kWh/year
 

2. Clean Biomass - Biogas (Faculty of Agriculture)

• Agricultural residues and pruning waste from university farms are used as biomass fuel for heating greenhouses and experimental labs.

• Biogas digester to convert animal manure and cafeteria organic waste into renewable gas and fertilizer.

• Estimated annual energy equivalent: ~210,000 kWh/year.

3. Biodiesel

• Used Cooking Oil Recycling: Unit to process used oils from cafeterias for biodiesel, applied in heating systems at animal production farms (Veterinary Medicine & Agriculture).

• Estimated contribution: ~120,000 kWh/year.

4. Wind Power

ANNU is investing in 30,000 kWh/year - small-scale wind power systems to supply energy for critical research infrastructure:

• Faculty of Shari’a Building: Installation of small vertical-axis wind turbines to partially power lighting and equipment, reducing grid dependency.

• Remote Monitoring Stations: Wind turbines deployed in Hebron and Tubas at seismic and environmental monitoring stations to ensure uninterrupted operation of sensors and data loggers during grid outages.

• These systems are hybridized with existing solar setups to maximize uptime and reliability in off-grid areas.

Total Renewable Energy Contribution 

• Solar PV & Thermal: ~ 2,960,168 kWh/year

• Clean Biomass: ~210,000 kWh/year

• Biodiesel: ~120,000 kWh/year

• Wind Power: ~30,000 kWh/year

Total Renewable Energy: ~ 3,320,168 kWh/year = 11953 GJ

The total energy consumption at the University from low-carbon sources amounts to 5,660 GJ, representing the University’s complete on-campus energy demand. The surplus renewable energy generated is supplied to support rural communities in Palestine that experience limited access to electricity and sustainable energy resources.