We'll be seeing more of these at Conn in the near future. Photo from web.
“Be it enacted, by the Student Government Association that Renewable Energy Fund monies from Academic Years 2011-12 and 2012-13 shall be approved for the purchase and installation of solar photovoltaic renewable energy generation at Connecticut College if and only if the newly installed combined generational capacity is 45kW or greater.” Thus spoke SGA!
Last week, in a unanimous vote, our student government took a significant step towards utilizing sustainable energy. According to Elias Kauders ’12, SGA Chair of Environmental Affairs, “$100,000 in total – [will] be spent on installing solar photovoltaic (PV) renewable energy generation on campus.”
This is good, because it means that the annual $25 increase in our college’s tuition would go towards decreasing our annual $3 million electric bill, making our campus more sustainable and lending a little more validity to the assertion that Conn is an environmentally sustainable campus.
While the environment is not something I cared about too much before I came to Conn, I remember all too well going on the admissions tour and seeing the solar panel in front of Cro and being told about Conn’s commitment to the environment. Every time I see a tour guide walk by, I hear the same thing. Thanks to Kauders and SGA, the selling point symbolized by the Camel panel will be predicated slightly more upon reality than vague assumptions.
As I said, the resolution passed in a unanimous vote. “I think that’s a pretty rare thing,” says Kauders, “and it shows that this is something all of us , regardless of differences or disagreements, can really rally behind. What’s more, we’re calling for a truly substantial project, and it’s fantastic to be able to go to the administration and the other stakeholders in this project and be able to say listen: this is something that we really want, that we’re unified on and that we’re willing to put our money where our mouth is. We just hope that the college will respond positively and match our contribution. It’s the only way this project will happen, and it’s a fantastic opportunity for the college— they can install a $500,000 solar panel installation and pay only 20% of the cost. That in itself will pay off in only five to seven years, and then we will be making money.”
At least three of the proposed panel installations would generate 0.9% of our campus’ electricity. If the administration funded all of them, the total energy we would generate would be 3.6%. That might not sound like a lot, but that would be 3.6% of a $3,000,000 electric bill, which would mean that we would save $108,000 per year. So by 2021, we will have saved over $1,000,000.
Do you like the environment? Do you like money? Do you think that Conn would be a better place if it was spending less money? If your answers to any of these questions are yes (and you go to Conn), then you can take comfort not only in the knowledge that the student government that represents you feels the same way, but also that they have the initiative to proactively address the issue. •
