by Shane Henson — October 26, 2011—Higher education institutions have made much headway in recent years in reducing energy costs through using solar photovoltaic installations. Now, through a new database created by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), higher education officials who have yet to utilize this energy management tool can learn about how it has benefited various colleges and universities, and those who currently use solar power can benchmark their project’s cost, output, and energy savings.
Users of the database can find examples like the University of San Diego, which took advantage of federal and state incentives through a Solar Power Purchase Agreement to install 5,000 panels on 11 campus buildings, providing up to 15% of the campus’ electricity at below market rates and with little upfront cost. By capturing campus solar installations in one database, AASHE has also revealed important solar trends in the higher education sector. A 40% drop in the installed cost of solar over the last four years and new financing mechanisms have led institutions to invest in solar as a way to hedge against rising electricity prices while reducing their greenhouse gas emissions.
The AASHE Campus Solar Photovoltaic Installations Database further revealed that:
- The 137 megawatts (MW) of solar capacity installed on higher education campuses to date is equivalent to the power used by 40,000 U.S. homes.
- The market in 2010 for on-campus solar installations was over $300 million in the United States.
- Higher education solar installations in 2010 made up 5.4% of the total 956 MW installed that year in the United States.
- Since 2009, the median project size has grown six-fold.
- The market in 2010 for on-campus solar installations was over $300 million in the United States.
