campus Solar Expansion
An important goal of the Mines Sustainability Plan is to increase the use of renewable energy on campus to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, save money, and provide learning opportunities for students at Mines studying renewable energy engineering. Mines is expanding solar installations on campus to increase our university’s solar generating capacity to offset an estimated 6% of our total campus electricity use of more than 8 megawatts. In late 2022, Mines installed solar panels on 6 buildings and one solar canopy over a parking lot. The total energy produced by all 7 sites will total nearly 1.5 megawatts with an estimated total annual energy production of 2 million kilowatts per year. The solar installations will take advantage of Xcel Energy’s Solar Rewards Program when they are connected to the electrical grid in 2023. Mines also installed several solar arrays on campus in 2021.
2022 Solar Installations
(Click on photos to enlarge.)
Green Center
System capacity: 372 kW. Power Produced: in Year 1: 507,122 kWh
STEINHAUER FIELDHOUSE
System capacity: 241 kW. Power Produced in Year 1: 328,208 kWh
KORELL ATHLETIC CENTER
System capacity: 83 kW. Power Produced in Year 1: 110,298 kWh
STUDENT RECREATION CENTER
System capacity: 186 kW. Power Produced in Year 1: 251,144 kWh
GRL ANNEX BLDG.
System capacity: 83 kW. Year 1 Power Produced: 106,415 kWh
MAINTENANCE SHOP MINES PARK
System capacity: 42 kW. Year 1 Power Produced: 57,958 kWh
SOLAR CANOPY K LOT
System capacity: 495 kW. Year 1 Power Produced: 670,011 kWh
2021 Solar Installations
(Click on photos to enlarge.)
1750 JACKSON STREET
System capacity: 56 kW
MCNEIL HALL PARKING GARAGE
System capacity: 74 kW