Finance, Solar, Sourcing Renewables - April 30, 2020
Univ. Toledo to save $30K a year with 332 kW solar array
The University of Toledo installed a 332- kW solar array on their Health Science Campus and expects the project to generate 10.5 GWh of electricity and save the university nearly $30,000 a year.
The solar panels, which are spread across 2.3 acres of the campus, were given to the university in 2017 in a donation of 365 kW of Series 5 modules valued at $192,000. First Solar, the producer and donor of the solar panels, originated in the UToledo laboratories. 10% of the donated modules will be reserved for maintenance.
While the UToledo Student Green Fund spent $350,000 for Solscient Energy LLC to install the array, the university expects the project to produce more than $700,000 over its 25-year lifespan.
A portion of the value of the electricity generated by the project is planned to fund future renewable energy projects.
“The University of Toledo continues to reduce its carbon footprint and strengthen its commitment to a clean energy future,” Dr. Randy Ellingson, professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, said in a statement. “Thanks to First Solar’s generous donation of modules and UToledo working to keeping costs down, the array will produce some of the lowest-cost solar energy in the state of Ohio. We are excited to connect our students to these solar projects. They gain valuable experience with this fast-growing energy technology that generates carbon-free electricity directly from sunlight.”
The University of Toledo has received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Air Force for the advancement of solar panel technology and design.
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