In 2020, 139 panels were installed on the roof of the Schine Student Center, which hold a total capacity of 50 kW. The system generates roughly 50,000 kWh annually. To put that number into context, the average home in the United States consumes approximately 11,000 kWh per year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The solar power production at the Schine Student Center will be roughly equal to the energy consumed by five residential homes. The power generated by the panels is fed into the building distribution system and reduces the facility’s demand for electricity.
In 2013, 240 solar thermal panels were installed on the roofs of 20 buildings serving 160 three-bedroom apartments on South Campus. For the first time ever, the three-bedroom apartments had the ability to use solar energy to heat their water, in addition to a hot water heater.
