Solar panels illuminate climate change researcher's work at the CU Mountain Research Station

Soon some of the lights illuminating CU researchers' work on climate change will be powered by the sun.

CU-Boulder is currently installing multiple PV solar panels to create 10 kilowatts of energy -or about 15 percent of total electricity load--at its Mountain Research Station (MRS), near Nederland. The first phase includes installing panels on the roof of the Marr Alpine Laboratory on Niwot Ridge.

"We are taking a 'poor man's approach' to installing these panels," said Moe Tabrizi, Energy Conservation Officer, "We are taking advantage of the incentives already put in place by Colorado, which will allow us to do this project at little cost to the University, with an end goal of saving money and cutting carbon emissions."

The Marr Alpine Laboratory is a perfect fit for this type of project. Global warming and climate change are two of the main emphasis of study at the laboratory (colorado.edu/mrs). As a practical matter, the lab typically experiences multiple power outages during the winter months due to blowing winds and heavy snow. The rooftop PV system will provide some backup power for heavy weather events.

Located at 2900 m (9500 feet) in the Front Range of the Colorado Rockies, the Mountain Research Station is an interdisciplinary facility of CU's Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (instaar.colorado.edu) providing research and educational opportunities for scientists, students, and the general public.

The total project, phases 1 & 2, will cost approximately $60,000. With a combination of an Xcel rebate (Amendment 39), and UCSU student funds, the project capitalizes on existing energy efficient programs. While there is an initial cost, but over time this will be free energy with little to no carbon footprint.

The PV panels will be made in the USA 10 kilowatt units, which is the cap for the low end of Xcel to receive the Amendment 39 rebate. EvergreenSolar, Inc based out of Marlboro, Massachusetts, made the majority of the panels. Local Salida, CO contractor, Eco Depot USA, is contracted for this project.

J.P. Robb, CU project manager, worked extensively to find a contractor who understood what CU was trying to achieve, as well as the importance of reducing our carbon footprint The project also demanded the expertise of Joe Branchaw, electrical engineer, and John Atkins, civil engineer, to ensure the installation is robust enough to cope with the strong winds and deep winter conditions that typically visit the research facility located just below the continental divide.

The project was funded by a grant from Sustainable CU, a student led and funded sustainability grant program approved by student referendum and managed by the CU Environmental Center (ecenter.colorado.edu). Each year since 2005, students have funded over $150,000 of sustainability-rlated projects and programs on the CU campus.

Construction of the project is expected to be complete in mid September.