Solar Power In Unexpected Places

Many visitors to the Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, SC, were already aware that the facility housed rows of solar panels on its roof, thanks to a special feature on the CMA website that described the panels' installation.

However, relatively few guests realized that the panels were actually helping to power the facilities, until the museum unveiled a new Solar Exploration Station exhibit last month.

The station is a new renewable energy outreach effort for SCE&G. The museum earned a 213,521 federal stimulus grant in 2010. Funding helped pay for installation of the 177 rooftop solar panels at the museum.

"The museum was the first downtown solar customer, and it's been a huge success," said Casey Logan, a power quality engineer with SCE&G.

The panels generate about 53,000 kilowatt hours annually, which covers 10 percent of the museum's energy usage.

The Solar Exploration Station includes a light display and solar-themed lesson plans, and has been a huge hit with visitors.

"When children come in, they're immediately drawn to it," said Kerry Kuhlkin-Hornsby, director of education for the museum. "It's light and colorful, and it lights up when you walk up to it. So children absolutely love to walk up to it and light up the galleries and learn more about solar energy."

SCE&G aims to build its own solar farms, with the goal of installing 20 megawatts of solar energy on its system by 2020. The power company currently is currently partnering with Boeing on a huge solar installation at its North Charleston plant.

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Origin: renewable-energy-events.blogspot.com