Geological Society of America Moves Toward 100 Percent Renewable Energy
298 Solar Panels From Sharp Provide Thirty Five Percent of Annual Electricity Needs
The Geological Society of America (GSA) recently unveiled a 65 kilowatt (kW) rooftop solar energy system at its Boulder headquarters. The new array will provide the GSA with 88 megawatt hours per year of energy, approximately 35 percent of the annual electric consumption for the building.
The GSA is striving for 100 percent renewable energy by January 2011, and this rooftop solar power array is the first step towards achieving that goal. The array was designed and installed by Louisville, Colorado-based Bella Energy and utilizes 298 solar panels from industry leader Sharp. The clean energy produced by the GSA’s solar power system will prevent the emission of over 160,000 pounds of carbon dioxide each year, which is equivalent to conserving more than 7000 gallons of gasoline. (source: epa.gov).
“We are grateful for the availability of local funding from Xcel Energy and the City of Boulder to make this investment in renewable energy possible for GSA. The Society is committed to demonstrating environmental leadership and we want other commercial and nonprofit entities to know that this funding exists,” said GSA Executive Director Jack Hess. “Bella Energy was an excellent partner, they provided us with the professional workmanship and industry expertise that helped to make this project a success.” said Hess.
“We are delighted to add this project to our growing solar portfolio” said Andrew McKenna, COO of Bella Energy. “We’re proud to help the GSA save money on electrical costs, and continue its environmental leadership efforts.”
“This installation is a fine example of what can be accomplished with the government funding options that are currently available,” said Eric Hafter, senior vice president of Sharp Solar Energy Solutions Group. “The GSA is an incredible organization that promotes scientific understanding of the Earth. Sharp is proud to support the GSA in their efforts to protect the Earth as well, by utilizing clean renewable energy to power their headquarters.”
The GSA’s rooftop solar array will use Sharp’s ND-224UC1 solar modules. Using breakthrough technology, made possible by nearly 50 years of proprietary research and development, this panel is designed to withstand harsh operating conditions and offers high power output per square foot of solar array.