Courtesy of Jonathan LaneThe roof of Olin Library will soon play host to seven solar panels, creating 1.155 kilowatts of power for the campus at a cost of $16,186. The installation, which will likely take place by the end of the semester, is part of the Committee on Environmental Quality’s plan to bring renewable energy to the University.
The energy requirement on campus varies throughout the year and peaks during the summer at approximately 18,000 kilowatts of instantaneous demand for power for both the Danforth Campus and the South 40, said Ed Barry, manager of utility operations.
The panels, provided by the Kansas City-based Ramsey Environmental Group, will therefore provide 1/16,000 of the University’s electrical demand.
Although the panels might not seem to create much of a dent in the University’s energy needs, they will set an important precedent, said Barry.
“It’s a start. We’re doing it for a couple of reasons,” he said. “We’re installing these panels to experiment with renewable energy resources, and also we feel it’s a good educational demonstration project for the campus to learn more about renewable energy and potential applications for it. Even though it’s a small amount of actual power, it’s something we’re trying to explore, evaluate on a small scale and see where it will go.”
The panels have the potential to create momentum for environmental sustainability on campus, said junior Jonathan Lane, chair of the Committee on Environmental Quality (CEQ). He noted several benefits of solar power, namely the reduction of greenhouse gases and the project’s ability to support constant improvements.
“I’ve had an interest in alternative energy, and my feeling is that universities are ideal places to support its development and use,” said Lane. “The more people that support it, the more volume there will be and the lower the costs.” Groups throughout campus have contributed to the cost of the panels, with $5,000 coming from the Department of Facilities, $3,000 from the Environmental Engineering Science Program, $500 from Arts & Sciences, $500 from Bon App‚tit and $100 from Project Democracy.
Out of the total cost, $7,086 plus any extra costs up to $8,500 will come from the CEQ’s account.
The library’s roof presented the best conditions on campus for solar exposure, as it is expansive, flat and does not have a lot of shade.
“We discussed potential locations, and they will be easy to install and deal with there,” said Lane. “It made the most sense.”
In addition to offering logistical advantages, the library’s status as one of the most visited buildings on campus is another benefit, Barry said.
“It’s a good locale because it’s used by a general population of campus – students, faculty, and staff,” said Barry. “People can become more familiar with the actual project and learn about it when it’s displayed in a building that has such high use.”
To allow students to interact with the new panels, CEQ, with help from Residential Technology Services, will install interactive touch-screen kiosks around campus that monitor the output of the panels.
The panels will hardly be noticeable on the library’s roof. They are on movable frames but do not rotate to face the sun directly at all times. A system that would track the sun would be more complicated and costly.
“We felt initially that we ought to go with the basic system, see how it works and then expand on it,” said Barry.
The panels are expected to be installed by the end of the semester – possibly even by Earth Day on April 22. Due to a current shortage of the panels, the date of installation will depend upon when the Ramsey Environmental Group is able to obtain them.
If all goes well, CEQ will consider potential future locations for additional panels.
-With additional reporting by Kristin McGrath