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Solar Power Panels to be Installed on Hayden Library RoofContact:
Heather Denny September 13, 2004 There's certainly a lot of brainpower generated under the roof of Hayden Library, now there will be another kind of power generated from on top of the building as well. Today, cranes will hoist 42 solar panels to the roof of Hayden Library. The panels on the library's roof will make up a photovoltaic system that creates power by harnessing sunlight. The solar power panel installation will be the third and largest at MIT. The library's roof was selected by MIT's Department of Facilities for it's ideal southern exposure, according to Laxmi Rao, a senior project manager with the department. The project is part of an ongoing initiative that Rao and others have been involved in to reduce MIT's "emissions footprint." In 2002, the MIT Community Solar Power Initiative was awarded a $455,700 grant from the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust for solar installations on campus, including panels on the roof of the Student Center and Building N52 as well as residential installations in several communities including Cambridge. "The Libraries are thrilled to be a part of this project, said Ann Wolpert, Director of Libraries, "what a great opportunity for us to incorporate environmentally-friendly technology and be a good neighbor to the Cambridge community." The 13-kilowatt system on the library's roof is anticipated to generate around 15,000 kilowatt hours a year—roughly equivalent to a year's worth of energy needed to power 2 residential homes. The electricity production will result in zero greenhouse gas emissions and supplement power provided by MIT's co-generation plant on Vassar Street. Rao expects the Hayden system to be up and running by the end of the month. To learn more about the MIT Community Solar Power Initiative and view photos of solar power panel installations visit: http://solarpower.mit.edu/. |
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