College Solar Grant

ABINGDON, Va. — The Dominion Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Dominion Resources Inc., awarded a $30,000 grant to Virginia Highlands Community College for the construction of an on-campus, solar powered coffee shop to be run entirely by students.
 
The nonprofit shop, which will be named Wolf Grounds, plans to use solar hot water heating and solar photovoltaic technologies, local suppliers and Energy Star appliances and to serve only 100 percent organically grown and recyclable products.
 
“Dominion’s grant will allow our students to experience first-hand the process of opening and operating a business within the security of college supervision,” says Virginia Highlands President Ron Proffitt. “This is an outstanding opportunity for our students and we are grateful to Dominion for their support of the college, our students and this project.”
 
Students in Free Enterprise, a business-focused campus organization, will manage the coffee shop, which is scheduled for an April grand opening. About half of the students involved in the project’s development will also help run the shop in various capacities. Information technology students will maintain the shop’s website while marketing students will promote the business and accounting students will manage the books.
 
The project will provide experience to business students in running a business and to students in solar energy system design, equipment installation, and system maintenance and repair, who will help install, maintain and repair the shops solar power system. More than 200 business, marketing, drafting, web design, ecology, heating and air conditioning and electricity and energy technology students will help plan and design the shop.
 
"Dominion is excited about supporting this hands-on learning project and particularly because of its emphasis on energy conservation, efficiency and alternative energy generation," says Preston Sloane, station director for the Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center.  The power station is being built in nearby Wise County, about 30 miles from the campus, by Dominion Virginia Power, a subsidiary of Dominion Resources.
 
The grant will help pay for materials and supplies and for some of the construction. It will be located in the Learning Resources Building, which houses the college’s library, auditorium, business division office and classrooms.
 
The Dominion Foundation has awarded 16 grants totaling $500,000 to Virginia colleges and universities this year as part of a new giving program created for higher education recipients aimed at preserving natural resources, facilitating workforce and community development and advancing educational and diversity initiatives.
 
According to officials, Dominion is one of the nation’s largest producers and transporters of energy, with a portfolio of approximately 27,600 megawatts of generation. The company serves retail energy customers in 13 states.