By Peggy Hammond Feb 15, 2018
ISS supports all efforts to increase the solar energy industry, and we are excited to see the upsurge in solar installations in more U.S. schools. It is especially gratifying to learn of one Massachusetts college that is now 100% solar powered.
Massachusetts is dedicated to growing its solar capacity. On February 7, 2018, Mass.gov released news that the state has installed 78,646 solar projects, totaling more than 2,000MW. The previous two years saw almost half of this capacity installed, and Massachusetts is not stopping. The governor made clear they intend to double this capacity. In January 2018 Daily Hampshire Gazette announced Hampshire College, Amherst, MA, is generating 100% of its electricity from solar energy, making Hampshire the first residential college in the country to do so. The college’s website, Hampshire.edu, explained they added a 19-acre array containing 15,000 panels, with a 4.7MW capacity. The campus already had some buildings with rooftop solar arrays, including the president’s house. In Waltham, MA, Brandeis University announced in January they doubled their on-campus solar by adding a 212kW solar array to the roof of Brandeis Library. The array has 665 panels and will provide approximately 25% of the library’s electricity.
California has news of a solar installation on campus, too. Solar Industry reported in January 2018 that Cal-Poly University in San Luis Obispo, CA, completed a 4.5MW solar farm that will provide about 25% of the school’s needed power. They anticipate savings over 20 years of $10 million. The farm occupies 18.5 acres and will generate more than electricity for the university; bringing solar to campus resulted in creation of courses in renewable energy. Some science and engineering courses now offer solar PV basics; in addition, the school added courses in how to design renewable energy systems.
Lastly, it isn’t just colleges sharing solar news. American School & University Magazine included in their January 2018 issue that New Haven, CT, has 11 public schools with new rooftop solar arrays. This brings New Haven’s total solar to 2.8MW, and as the city’s mayor noted, the installations help students understand in a more tangible way the idea of reducing carbon output.
ISS knows solar is the prudent choice for providing the country’s renewable energy needs. We are a custom developer of utility-scale solar farms, and we enjoy helping communities discover the rewards of using solar. To learn about opportunities to work with ISS, please see our website at www.innovativesolarsystemsllc.com or call John Green (CEO) 828-215-9064.
