SMATE Solar Project

This project will install a 112-kW solar PV system on the roof of the SMATE Building [Science, Math and Technology Education]. Grant funding was received from the Department of Commerce to fund 80% of the project cost, and the remaining costs are expected to be covered by federal IRA tax credits. Construction is scheduled to begin in mid-December 2024. The contractors are Axiom D7 and Western Solar. The SMATE solar project will feature innovative bifacial solar modules with photovoltaic cells on both sides of the panels to capture reflected light from the roof. The 193-module solar array will generate over 102,000 kilowatt hours of clean electricity annually, enough to power 11 homes. It is projected to save Western $17,144 per year in electric usage and demand charges, increasing over time as electric rates rise. This project will be visible from neighboring buildings and offer experiential learning opportunities to students. Source: https://trustees.wwu.edu/sites/trustees.wwu.edu/files/00All-In-OneDecember132024BOTMeeting.pdf

In keeping with Western’s sustainability goals and commitments, the university will be installing a 100-kilowatt solar system on the roof of the Science, Math, and Technology Education Building (SMATE), using funds from the Community Decarbonization Grants program of the Washington State Department of Commerce, along with federal Inflation Reduction Act tax credits and student fees for renewable energy through the Sustainability, Equity & Justice Fund. Source: https://news.wwu.edu/westerns-smate-roof-to-go-solar

The 176 panel solar array will conservatively generate 92,712 kilowatt hours of clean electricity annually, enough to power 10 homes, with the actual total likely to be higher because of the capture of sunlight reflected off the roof. This will keep 38 metric tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere each year, the equivalent of taking 9.1 gasoline cars off the road. It is projected to save Western $15,600 per year in electric usage and demand charges, a savings that will increase over time as electric rates rise. This project will be visible from neighboring buildings and offer experiential learning opportunities to students. When completed this fall, it will bring Western another step closer to the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2035. Source: https://news.wwu.edu/westerns-smate-roof-to-go-solar