Cedarville University Dedicates Solar Array

CEDARVILLE, Ohio — A large-scale solar power system was dedicated at Cedarville University in Ohio on April 26.

The 2,154-kilowatt solar array will convert sunlight into electricity, which helps meet the campus’ growing power requirements and supplies an average of 10 percent of the school’s energy demand, enough to serve the needs of 250 homes and contribute to cleaner air by removing more than 2,478 metric tons of CO2 from the atmosphere each year.

A new underground utility corridor for the solar array allows it to feed electricity to the university’s distribution system. With 8,792 crystalline photovoltaic panels, the installation qualifies as the largest solar system directly connected to an Ohio university. The system includes monitoring and display features that support the school’s curriculum.

Cincinnati-based Melink Corporation built the solar array on newly acquired land that the school purchased from the Village of Cedarville, located on the southwest edge of campus. The approximately $6 million system will pay off investors within five years and should have a lifespan of up to 30 years. The panels, produced by REC Solar, with offices in Somerset, N.J., have a warranty for 25 years. About 30 percent of the cost was funded by a federal investment tax credit.

“Cedarville University has been pursuing ways for the engineering department to use renewable energy as a teaching tool in the classroom,” said William E. Brown, Ph.D., president at the school, in a statement. “This is a great opportunity for our students, but also for the Southwest Ohio region.”

Solar technology has been part of the school’s academic curriculum for years. The engineering faculty has included the technology in similar projects in Liberia and throughout the world, while engineering students have won six World Solar Splash Boat competitions, an international solar or electric boating competition.