Thursday, December 18, 2014

Campus solar power project
energizes student organizers

Developing ethical leaders is at the core of our mission and strategic plan. A group of Winona Campus students spent more than a year researching, presenting, and fundraising for a solar panel initiative, and on Nov. 25 a 3.8 kilowatt system was installed on the roof of Fitzgerald Library. The idea for installing solar panels began with Conner Ellinghuysen and a core group of student organizers including Reikel Beichler, Peter Hegland, Katie O’Leary, and Matt Faucett (shown above).

The students say the new system will immediately begin reducing the university’s carbon footprint, save money, and provide operating data and educational experiences for students in many academic areas. The system is expected to produce over 5,000 kilowatt-hours per year on average, or about 50 percent of the average household usage. It will also save four tons of carbon emissions each year.

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