A $51,750 grant from Pacific Power’s Blue Sky renewable energy program was awarded to Whitman recently to support the college’s proposed photo-voltaic solar array. The $180,000 project would place 20 solar panels above Jewett hall and be capable of supplying the college with 23 KW of electricity.

According to geology and environmental studies professor Bob Carson, the system would be capable of supplying about eight average American houses with electricity and would make a substantial dent in Whitman’s energy costs.

The college would save approximately $1600 per year at current electricity rates, according to Jed Schwendiman, associate to the president. However, factoring in a typical rate increase of about five percent every year, this investment could mean even bigger savings for the college in the future. Over the next five years, said Schwendiman, the college could expect to save around $18,000.

The system would also serve as an educational resource for Whitman students. The solar array would be linked to a monitoring station in the Hall of Science atrium next to the current weather, seismic and stream flow station. Students would be able to monitor the output of the system and track energy savings.

Jump-starting the campaign to bring the solar array to Whitman is the student organization, Campus Climate Challenge. Headed by co-presidents Bailey Arend and Gary Wang, the organization hopes to make the college carbon-neutral.

“Our goal is to make sure that there are no net carbon emissions from the college,” said Wang, “and to mobilize the surrounding community to take action on global warming. It’s a lofty goal but we’ve made substantial progress in the last few years.”

According to Wang, Campus Climate Challenge jumped on-board with the solar array project because it fit in with their goals for the college.

“The solar array project is important because it represents a tangible example of alternative energy for the college,” said Wang. “From a public relations standpoint, it proves that Whitman College is among the leaders regionally and nationally in terms of its commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainable development.”

In the past two years, the organization has raised over $28, 000 from parents and faculty through two letter-writing campaigns. Part of this money went to purchasing carbon off-sets in order to reduce the college’s carbon contribution; the other went towards funding the solar array.

Wang and Arend also helped Whitman write the grant application to the Pacific Power Blue Sky renewable energy program, resulting in the $51, 750 grant.

The Blue Sky program offered by Pacific Power allows consumers to use clean, wind energy instead of traditional energy off the grid. Energy from the Blue Sky program is more expensive than regular energy; however, Pacific Power invests this money in alternative energy projects around the area. This year, Pacific Power offered $100, 000 in grants to fund renewable energy projects in Washington state.

Whitman received a substantial portion of this grant money because of its commitment to alternative energy demonstrated by the proposed solar panel array. The photo-voltaic solar panels Whitman would be using convert sunlight into energy by freeing loose electrons from silicon atoms housed in the panels. These electrons flow from the solar cells to a load or battery, where the energy is stored. About 10-15 percent of the sunlight that strikes the solar panels is converted into energy.

The photo-voltaire solar array is currently scheduled to be put up this summer.