Solar on State: Case Study for Student Effort to Advance Photovoltaic and Solar Hot Water Deployment at the Pennsylvania State University

The overarching goal of ASES is to inspire an era of energy innovation and to speed the transition to a sustainable energy economy. With growing concerns about global climate change and energy costs, the development of photovoltaic (PV) and solar hot water (SHW) systems has drastically increased in the USA to accommodate the demand for renewable energy sources. Here, we describe a collective action scenario wherein students provide expertise and popular momentum to drive policy and technology changes at the Pennsylvania State University. The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) is currently the third largest purchaser of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) among universities in the U.S. Currently, around 20% of Penn States annual electrical demand is met through the purchase of RECs. As Penn States contractual agreement to buy RECs will end in 2011, the university has started to explore several renewable energy options to offset the cost for purchasing RECs and to make the campus green highlighting concerns about environmental sustainability. The purpose of this study conducted by the Penn State student chapter of ASES is to develop a student initiative towards a greener campus using PV and SHW systems. The final analysis and report is to be shared with the Office of the Physical Plant, responsible for building management and energy policy issues for the University Park campus. The OPP Energy Systems strategic plan committee is currently seeking input for lower carbon solutions that also deliver energy solutions on site. The goal of the ASES Student Chapter is to provide accurate information to OPP such that a transition to renewable energy systems is easier. The final results of this project involves analyzing detailed energy simulations for the performance of systems, the economic feasibility and payback period for solar installations including the exploration of alternate financing options, and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for the systems and fuel-based alternatives. Dynamic energy simulations are already being developed using a new energy-modeling program that integrates ArcGIS’ geospatial capabilities to the energy simulation.