Another College Campus Goes Solar

The eight solar panels hang conspicuously upon the brick surface of the Mechanical Engineering Building (MEB) of the University of Washington (UW), glinting with a silver-blue sheen which clashes with the traditional architecture.

High visibility, however, was exactly the point, explains Nathan Miller, recent graduate from the UW mechanical engineering (ME) department. Like a billboard without words or images, strategically placed in sight of high-traffic walkways, the panels serve to grab attention. The impact, Miller hopes, will generate awareness of the promise of solar energy, one passerby at a time.

In 2002, then a junior in the ME department, Miller led a small group of students in applying for the funds and equipment which now constitute the MEB photovoltaic (PV) project. Half of the panels were mounted on the roof of the building, where the sun's rays are most direct, and the other panels were placed with visibility in mind.

Down in the lobby of the building, the project is showcased in a prominent glass display case. A large computer screen contributes both images and information. A continuous PowerPoint presentation outlines the history of the project and teaches some basics about solar power as well as renewable energy in general; it also provides a live-update summary of the amount of energy being generated by the solar panels.

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