At 9:35 a.m. on March 1, 2021, Dan Ridgway, director of operations for the College of Podiatric Medicine (CPM), flipped a switch that would energize a new future of sustainable power on campus. The button officially activated a brand new 315.2 kilowatt-DC solar PV array consisting of 788 solar panels and extending electrical connection to campus. In layman’s terms: that’s clean energy to serve nearly 30 percent of campus electricity.
The project began in fall 2020, through an energy conservation collaboration with The Brewer-Garrett Company. The 25-year Power Purchase Agreement requires no upfront capital expense to the college, and all electricity produced will be purchased at a negotiated rate with Paradise Energy Solutions, LLC based in Sugarcreek, Ohio.
“We need to be in front of this movement as a university,” said CPM Dean Dr. Allan Boike. “I think it’s our responsibility, and this project gives us the opportunity to reduce our energy costs by half a million dollars over a period of time.”
The field will produce a minimum 25-year electric cost savings of about $16,500 during the first year, and over $550,000 after 25 years. In the summer months the solar array will reduce stress on the electric grid when electricity use is highest to air condition the facility.
Now that the solar array is hard at work producing clean energy for the campus, native pollinators like wildflowers and other plants will be seeded around the perimeter of the array this spring to increase the honeybee population and various other beneficial insects.
You can see the installed solar array and get more information on its benefits in this promotional video. To follow-up on its progress, a solar energy dashboard will soon be available on the CPM homepage to track progress and allow real-time data use for educational purposes and community interest.
Although in the early stages, this project is considered a huge win for CPM and the environment.
“We’re putting another foot forward for sustainable energy,” said Bob Misbrener, project manager.