Western Washington University

Project Partners: Puget Sound Energy Installer: Alpha Energy Location: Bellingham, WA Capacity: 1.98 kW Type of Power: Solar Placed into Service: May 2008 Project Links: PSE's Green Power Program Western Washington Unversity Students for Renewable Energy

On May 21, 2008, Western Washington University dedicated its new Solar Demonstration Project and became the first university in the Solar 4R Schools program.

The 1.98 kW solar array generates about 2,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year, depending on the amount of sunlight. Spearheaded by the Students For Renewable Energy, the project will supply some of the electricity used by the university, but is more about engaging WWU's students in alternative energy sources than in slicing the power bill.

Students can check the system’s activity on the interactive information kiosk inside the Viking Union and the next phase of the project will include system monitors in campus buildings that show how much power the buildings are using, in comparison to what the solar array is generating.

Since fall of 2005, Western has purchased all of its electrical energy through Puget Sound Energy from a 100-percent renewable source in the Pacific Northwest. This was made possible by Western students voting in spring 2004 to implement a student fee to offset the cost of purchasing renewable energy, a first in the nation.