Robert Fisher, Emily Horth & Meghan Taffe

This document, done as a semester-long group capstone project, focuses on the future and alternatives to the conventional electrical system within the United States. To provide context to the future of electricity the history and rhetoric of the electrical industry are explored, following with a discussion of emerging alternatives. The alternative energy industry is discussed along with the most cost efficient and viable energy alternatives. This information is then applied to the University of St. Thomas (UST), in the form of a pilot electricity audit that looks at student consumption in one of the University dorms. Recommendations for more efficient electrical use at UST are provided along with suggestions for further research on energy alternatives and efficiency, and a large-scale audit at UST.