During a recent panel updating where UNC stands in those efforts, sustainability officials pointed to improvements in overall and energy-specific emissions rates – but detailed the challenges of moving entirely away from using coal in the short-term. According to Sustainable Carolina, which oversees UNC’s environmental impact and sustainability efforts, the campus’ overall greenhouse gas emissions output has been trending downward since 2007 – with combustion emissions down 38% in that same time frame. "That's largely due to the fact our coal consumption is down 67% since 2007," said Sustainability Analyst Melanie Elliot. "As we’re shifting that fuel mix, our emissions are going to change.” A major hurdle to eliminating coal entirely, though, is a lack of a solid alternative to use. The plant creates steam to heat and cool buildings, warm up and chill the campus’ water, control humidity and sterilize tools, servicing roughly 40,000 campus users across 200 buildings and the UNC Hospi...