Geological Society of America installs solar array on headquarters

Striving to be powered by 100 percent renewable energy by January 2011, the Geological Society of America (GSA) recently unveiled a rooftop solar energy system at its headquarters in Boulder, Colo.

The new 65-kilowatt rooftop array will power the GSA with an estimated 90,000 kilowatt hours per year of energy and provide between 30 and 35 percent of the annual electricity consumption for the entire facility. The rooftop array is the first step in the GSA’s renewable energy initiative.

“Even though it’s winter and the sun is lower in the sky than it will be in the spring and summer, we’re actually producing more energy than we expected,” said Todd Berggren, director of IT and corporate services for the GSA. “We are now 100 percent powered by renewables. Energy that is not produced by solar is purchased through wind credits.”

Colorado-based Bella Energy designed and installed the rooftop PV array using 298 ND-224UC1 solar modules manufactured by Sharp, an industry leader in solar panel technology. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the GSA solar power system will prevent the emission of over 160,000 pounds of carbon dioxide each year or the equivalence of more than 7000 gallons of gasoline.

"The solar array goes along with our mission to service humankind and provide stewardship for the Earth,” said Berggren. “With the sun in Colorado and the energy savings, it was hard not to do it. And it was a great collaboration between Bella Energy, the city of Boulder, Xcel, and the GSA. It was one of the better projects I’ve ever worked on.”

The GSA took advantage of an energy rebate and a grant from the city of Boulder to help pay for the Bella Energy system.

“It was the perfect time to act. We got a $130,000 rebate from Xcel and a $30,000 grant from the city of Boulder to offset our costs. That, combined with the expected energy savings, made it hard not to do it,” he said.

The GSA is measuring system output and generation through a website called Enphase Energy that provides a time lapse display of wattage generation.

“It’s neat to see the generation escalate during the day, cease at around 5 p.m. and then start back up in the morning,” said Berggren.

Pictured: The GSA headquarters from above, taken with a remote control helicopter, which seems a welcome alternative to setting a camera on timer and throwing it up in the air, hoping for the perfect shot. Image courtesy of the GSA.