Notre Dame Solar Array Online
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe University of Notre Dame has unveiled a new solar array that will be used to power its Kenmore Warehouse in South Bend. The nearly 145-kilowatt array is part of the university’s commitment to reduce its carbon footprint by more than half by 2030.
The solar array includes 432 solar panels, making it the first of its size for the university. Notre Dame says it has the ability to generate approximately 194,000 kilowatt hours of electricity each year, which is about one-third of the total electricity used by the warehouse.
Notre Dame also has smaller solar installations on the roofs of Stinson-Remick Hall and Fitzpatrick Hall. The university says it has a net-metering agreement with Indiana Michigan Power to feed any excess power into the local electric grid for use by the utility.
"The Kenmore Warehouse solar installation is another important component of the University’s sustainability commitment," said John Affleck-Graves, executive vice president of Notre Dame. "Along with solar power applications, we are implementing a number of strategies to reduce our carbon footprint to be good stewards of our environment."
Notre Dame President Rev. John Jenkins announced the university’s commitment to sustainability in 2015. The university says other projects are in the works, including the installation of combined cycle combustion gas turbines to produce electricity and steam, replacing old power plant boilers and constructing a hydroelectric facility on the St. Joseph River dam in downtown South Bend.
Notre Dame says it currently generates about 50 percent of its own electrical energy needs.