The University of Toledo will more than double the amount of renewable energy generated on Health Science Campus with a 540-kilowatt addition to its existing solar array.
Work on the expansion is expected to begin this summer, with the new array generating power before the end of the year.
The University will host a groundbreaking ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 28, near the future construction site off Arlington Avenue along Main Technology Drive. Parking is available in Area 44E.
Once the addition is completed, the solar array will have a total capacity of nearly 900 kilowatts, producing about $70,000 worth of electricity annually for the campus.
“This project represents an important steppingstone toward improving the University’s clean energy infrastructure and reducing our carbon footprint,” said Dr. Randy Ellingson, a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. “There is no question that solar is now the most important energy technology in the world, and this installation will provide us with sun-fueled clean power for the next quarter century.”
The University is using panels donated by First Solar, one of the world’s leading producers of solar cells. The company, which has a long history in northwest Ohio and maintains a production facility in Perrysburg, recently provided UToledo with more than 1,300 of its Series 6 Plus modules valued at $165,000.
First Solar previously donated the Series 5 panels that are in use on the current 337-killowatt Health Science Campus array, which was completed in 2020.
“The relationship between First Solar and The University of Toledo continues to grow in depth and importance,” Ellingson said. “We continue to be grateful for First Solar for their generosity and support of these array projects, as well as for our collaborative research projects and the opportunities they provide our students.”
In addition to reducing the amount of electricity the University purchases to power Health Science Campus, the expanded solar array is projected to save UToledo about $50,000 per year by reducing peak demand charges.
“Using solar power at a large commercial facility — like Health Science Campus — changes the load profile by taking off the summer peaks, and that frees up that grid pressure for other businesses and houses that need it,” said Michael Green, director of energy management at UToledo. “This not only benefits the campus financially, it benefits the community. We’re helping to make the grid more reliable.”
Installation of the new array is expected to cost about $530,000.
The Student Green Fund, which raises money through a voluntary, $5 per-semester fee, has committed to contributing $300,000 toward the project. The fund also covered the $350,000 cost of installing the existing solar array.
