This study analyzed the viability of installing a solar energy system to power the warming hut building on the campus of St. Bonaventure University. It estimated that the warming hut's annual energy consumption was 23,700 kWh. A 20 kW solar panel system costing $39,000 would be required to meet this demand. Over a 35-year period, the cost of electricity from the solar system would be recouped and exceed $58,100 in savings compared to $58,500 cost to install and maintain the system over that time. However, making the warming hut more energy efficient through LED lighting and reduced furnace use could result in a return on investment within 25 years and continued savings through the lifespan of the

1. Conclusion
Green Campus: Determining Solar Energy Viability
Anna Pleto & Scott Barber
St. Bonaventure University, St. Bonaventure, NY 14778.
Bibliography
Introduction Results
Acknowledgements
Characterization
System Size:
(23,700 kWh/yr) ÷ (1500 x 0.78) = 20.3 kW system
Financing:
Cost of 20kW solar system: $39,000 (life = 25+ years)
Cost of inverter replacement: $6500 (life < 10 years)
Cost of electricity: $0.07/kWh
Yearly electricity cost: (23,700 kWh/yr)($0.07/kWh) = $1660/yr
35-year timeframe:
System Cost: $39,000 + ($6500 x 3) = $58,500
Electricity Cost: ($1660/yr)(35 yrs) = $58,100
Sincere thanks goes to Mr. Phil Winger, Vice President for
Facilities of St. Bonaventure University, for his expert advice and help
in estimating energy consumption of the warming hut.
"10 Things to Know Before Going Solar - Solar Energy." Solar Energy 10 Things to Know
Before Going Solar Comments. SolarEnergy.net, n.d. Web. 7 Apr. 2015.
"A Consumer's Guide to Get Your Power From the Sun." A Consumer's Guide: Get Your
Power from the Sun (Brochure) (2003): n. pag. National Renewable Energy
Laboratory. U.S. Department of Energy. Web. 7 Apr. 2015.
"Higher Education: Leading the Nation to a Safe and Secure Energy Future." Second
Nature (n.d.): n. pag. Second Nature. NACUBO. Web.
Maehlum, Matthias Aarre. "How Much Do Solar Panels Cost - Energy Informative."
Energy Informative. Energy Informative, n.d. Web. 7 Apr. 2015.
In order to assess the viability of solar energy for the warming hut, we
first calculated the energy consumption of the warming hut. The lighting,
furnace, and A/C together were accounted for and added into the “Total
Yearly Consumption.” Because exact meterage of the energy consumption
of the warming hut was not available, Mr. Phil Winger provided us with
energy specifications & ratings in order to accurately estimate the energy
consumption of the warming hut. The Total Energy Consumption estimated
for this building was 23,700 kWh/year.
The next step was to determine what size solar system would be
needed in order to account for all of the energy needs of the building, which
was done according to the direction of the “Consumer’s Guide” listed in the
Bibliography section. Using this information, it was determined that a 20
kW system would be needed to approximately power the warming hut.
Pricing of a 20 kW solar power system was dependent on the
type of system utilized. Because adding a battery to store the
energy significantly increases the total cost of the system, this was
determined to be less viable than staying connected to the energy
grid. Therefore, the pricing of a 20 kW solar power system was
determined to be approximately $39,000 after accounting for
additional labor (15%) and inspection costs (15%). The solar panels
themselves are rated for over 25 years, and many solar panels
maintain as much as 80% of their original energy production
capacity after 40 years of use. Inverters, however, have a shorter
lifespan of 5 to 10 years and replacements cost around $6500
including installation.
Based on the price of $0.07/kWh for electricity in this area of
NY and the Total Yearly Consumption, the yearly electricity cost of
the warming hut was estimated to be $1660/year. Accounting for
three inverter replacements over a 35-year time period, the return
on an investment of $58,500 over this timeframe would be
approximately $58,100 if energy costs were to remain unchanged.
Our assessments of the warming hut revealed the inefficiency
of the building; as such, energy consumption must be cut down in
order to implement solar power. Installing ultra-efficient LED lights
and reducing furnace use (powering down 2am-6am) would result in
a return on the investment (over $1300 saved) after 25 years; this
savings would continue for the life of the solar panels, which can be
more than 40 years.
Additional tax incentives improve the viability of solar energy
systems; however, these benefits are not available to private
institutions. One alternative is utilizing a third-party installer and
pre-purchasing energy several decades in advance from the
municipality using low-cost capital bonds available to private
institutions. This can help to make solar energy more affordable, as
the municipality can utilize these tax incentives to lower the pricing.
The aim of this assignment was to find a way in which to make
our University’s campus and or local community more sustainable.
Motivated by the ambition to improve St. Bonaventure University
campus, we set our goals on making a building on campus powered by
solar energy. Understanding that it is difficult to jump into solar
technology as an institution all at once; therefore, we wanted to
propose a possible initial “test model” on a smaller scale to assess
the viability of solar energy. That, if successful, could be applied
potentially to the entire campus at some point. We searched campus
for a small yet highly used building. At the intersection of College
Street and Clare Road, bridging the residential side of campus to the
academic, there is a Transit Station that is open 24/7 providing a
restroom for students during their walk across campus and warmth
during the harsh winter cold. Since the Transit Station, better known as
the Warming Hut to the University's students, is such a high traffic
location, we figured this building would be a perfect selection for the
shift to solar energy.
Once a building was selected, the total amount of energy the
building used per year needed to be calculated. Upon inspecting the
building and meeting with the Associate Vice President for Faculties the
amount was determined. The calculation included having the air
conditioning on for 20% of the summer months (6 months), having the
heating having an 80° temperature difference for the winter months (6
months), all lightning, and all utilities.
After much thought, it was decided that it would be smart to keep
the Warming Hut connected to the national electronic grid. Since the
grid is the formal way in which buildings are supplied with electricity,
staying connected would allow the Warming Hut to be powered when
the solar panel is not supplying a sufficient amount of energy to power
the building. The electricity gathered through the use of the solar panel
would be wired to a power company, who will then measure the total
energy harvested. The power company will supply the warming hut
with electricity and compensate the university by not charging for the
energy produced by the solar panel. If the building were to use more
energy than produced by the solar panel the power company would be
able to supply the building with electricity.