Previous U. of Pennsylvania Will Spend $40-Million on a New 'Penn Park' |
Next |
March 09, 2009, 01:41 PM ET
A 2-Year College Takes the Lead in Generating Solar Power in California
Butte College, a two-year institution in northern California, says it has taken the lead among the state’s higher-education institutions in generating solar power.
Three new solar arrays at the college are expected to produce 675,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity each year, enough to power 10 of the campus buildings. The arrays cost the college $3.42-million — and brought a $700,000 solar-rebate check from Pacific Gas & Electric, the utility company. The new arrays were added to a 2005 system, and together the arrays are designed to generate 2.7 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually. The college says it expects to save $32.6-million on its utility bills over the next 20 years.
The college is also taking advantage of its solar installations to plan new courses centered on sustainability, including a certificate program in sustainability studies. And it plans to erect a real-time energy kiosk at which students can see how the solar array is performing. In addition, the college offers workshops to teach local residents about sustainability.
Add Your Comment
Commenting is closed.