Will Solar Power Result in Lower College Costs for Students?
As the cost of college tuition continues to rise, more and more students are taking on an ever-increasing amount of debt in the form of loans to pay for their education. However, increased use of solar energy at colleges may stabilize prices and perhaps even lower them eventually, as the cost of the solar panel used to develop renewable energy power systems can be less than the cost of building and maintaining new power plants that run on fossil fuels.
In the face of mounting energy expenses, some colleges are investing in solar panel technology to defray the costs of providing an education. SunPower, for example, has installed 20 megawatts worth of solar power panels at 12 community colleges in California, with enough capacity to bring electricity to 4,100 homes, according to a recent post at DailyFinance. The article notes that these solar panels should save schools as much as $5.4 million per year.
Colleges sometimes use the money they save from going solar by enhancing their educational programs, but many of them are using the freed-up funds to close up their budgetary gaps. We won’t likely see an immediate reduction in tuition because of the money being saved with solar power, the article notes, but going solar should help many colleges at least keep their expenses down so they won’t have to raise their rates.
At Baker Electric Home Energy, a San Diego solar installer that is devoted to creating custom solutions for homes and businesses in Southern California, we applaud schools that are adopting green technology. To that end, our expert technicians have installed solar panels on many colleges and universities in Southern California, including Palomar College, Copper Mountain Community College, and UCSD.
At least 541 solar power systems have been installed at the campuses of 322 colleges in some 45 states, according to figures released by the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Total installed capacity across these campuses is 183,847 kilowatts.
As a premiere San Diego solar installer, Baker Solar Electric has the experience, skills and knowledge to help residents and business owners in the greater San Diego, California area and beyond to start saving money with renewable energy. If you have any questions about the cost of the solar panel in relation to the amount of power it can generate and how much money you can save, please feel free to contact us today.
Go Green and Save Some Green
Colleges and universities aren’t the only ones who can benefit from the financial savings of going solar. Installing solar on your home or business can help you eliminate your monthly bill anxieties and give you the freedom to use energy the way you want to. Solar panels allow you to generate your own electricity so you don’t have to be as dependent on your local utility and rising electric rates.
Call us today at (877) 543-8765 for a free solar quote. One of our expert solar energy consultants will provide you with an estimate for a custom-designed solar system built to meet your energy needs for the next 25+ years.
