ASU, my school, has built the largest university solar power system in the country.

[Paradoxical]

http://asunews.asu.edu/20080617_solar

Circa 2008

ASU has awarded energy contracts to Honeywell Building Systems, Independent Energy Group and SolEquity to install 2 megawatts of solar electric modules on about 135,000 square feet of building rooftop space and some parking structures on its Tempe campus.

With this investment, ASU has reaffirmed its commitment to renewable energy through what will be the largest deployment of solar power infrastructure by any U.S. university. The installation will begin in August, with completion scheduled for December.

The solar panels will meet up to 7 percent of the energy needs for ASU’s Tempe campus. Two megawatts of electricity can run about 4,600 computers. There is no up-front cost for this installation, which will generate about $425,000 worth of energy and reduce ASU’s carbon emissions by 2,825 tons reduction per year as compared to traditional energy generation in the state of Arizona.

The carbon reduction is equivalent to removing the annual emissions of 523 automobiles.

A study by ASU faculty and students in 2004 identified at least 330,000 square feet of roof space suitable for solar-based electricity generation on the Tempe campus alone. Because of the unprecedented expansion of new construction during the past few years, the roof space available for solar panels is now significantly larger...

Read more

I took this photo just a few minutes ago. You can see the close parking garage solar panel structure. And in the upper right hand corner, just below the mountain, you can see yet another solar panel structure. Each ASU parking garage has these solar panels on top. And many of the buildings do as well.









Edit: More photos





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And here are the proto-type windmills on the edge of an ASU building. They do work. I've seen them spinning.

[Snoutport]

1. Bravo!

The earth thanks you!

[Paradoxical]

7. I don't know how they got the money. But our tuition has gone up.

Which is a downside. But the solar should pay itself back pretty soon.

[taterguy]

2. I didn't know it was that sunny in Boone, NC

[ixion]

3. Excellent. This is the stuff we need to be doing.

:woohoo:

[upi402]

4. Wonderful! +1,000 n/t

[Countdown_3_2_1]

5. I did a semester in ASU. August is a terrible month to work outside...

Still this is way cool.

[msongs]

6. rooftop solar, NOT corporate energy company power plants that gouge us nt

[Paradoxical]

8. Bump for more photos.

[Paradoxical]

9. I don't know why this is slipping down the page.

Bump. I hope people read this.

[in_cog_ni_to]

10. THAT is freakin' AWESOME!

The school my son will be attending in the fall, Eastern Illinois University, is the "Greenest" Campus in the State and for its size, the country. :) They're going to have their own Biofuel Fuel plant eventually! How cool is that?

THIS is how things will finally change for this country...when our young people see the long-term benefits of alternative energy.

Kudos to ASU! :thumbsup:

http://www.eiu.edu/green/

[blueamy66]

11. Gracias!

Love me some Sun Devils.

And if they're doing this solar power stuff....more power to them....no pun intended....think I'll go kiss my diploma