SFCC’s Main Campus
- The installation at SFCC’s Richards Avenue campus consists of two photovoltaic systems:
- A 1.5-megawatt system will be installed on 5.4 acres on the southeast side of the campus, south of the main access road, near Kids Campus.
- This array consists of 4,620 SunPower 327-Watt photovoltaic modules mounted on fixed racking and will be enclosed by a security fence.
- This system will generate approximately 43% of the college’s electricity demands, saving the college more than $200,000 annually.
- A 11.8-kilowatt demonstration array designed for teaching purposes, it will consist of three different types of tracking systems, will use 36 SunPower 327-Watt photovoltaic modules.
- The systems will provide sophisticated monitoring data that will allow students, faculty and staff to maintain and study the arrays.
- The demonstration array will be located on the north side of the main access road near the Trades and Advanced Technology Center.
- These two systems are currently under review by PNM (Feb. 2014). Once approved, they will be installed within approximately six months.
SFCC’s Santa Fe Higher Education Center
The installation at the Higher Education Center boasts two solar photovoltaic mounting systems:
- A roof mounted 141-kilowatt system that consists of 432 SunPower 327 Watt photovoltaic modules
- A 16-kilowatt carport array that provides parking for six cars
- These systems will have data monitoring accessible to the public online
- These arrays will generate about 70% of the electricity needs of the building
- The new facility for the Higher Education Center has an anticipated completion date of early 2015, including installation of the solar photovoltaic arrays.
The general contractor for installation of the photovoltaic arrays is Bradbury Stamm / Positive Energy.
See how 5 acres and more than 2,000 solar panels generates 1.5 megawatts of energy to fuel SFCC. While the panels are busy converting the sunlight into electricity, they also serve as teaching tools for SFCC students. Read News Release.
Santa Fe Community College’s Solar Photovoltaic Installation Project will reduce the costs of energy consumption and provide hands-on learning opportunities for Solar Program students, faculty and staff. This year, the college will install solar photovoltaic panels at two locations.
Click on the links below to view PDF files of the panels presented at the Solar Photovoltaic Installation Open House at SFCC on February 7, 2013.
Panel #1 Project Purpose and Goals (Adobe PDF)
The college is putting together a design and construction team to install two Solar Photovoltaic Arrays on campus, one to generate energy for campus operations and the other as a demonstration array to benefit students and classroom learning.
Panel #2 Array Location and Siting (Adobe PDF)
Desirable Qualities:
- South facing slope
- Visibility for campus visitors
- Adjacency to electrical distribution
- Easy access by existing service roads
- No future building obstruction
- Minimal impact from construction
Panel #3 Technnology: Main Array (Adobe PDF)
- Inverter Shed
- Fixed Panel Racking system
Panel #4 Technology: Demonstration Array (Adobe PDF)
- Dual Tracking Panels
- Monitoring Energy Generated
Panel #5 Civil Engineering (Adobe PDF)
- Topography of site
- FEMA Risk Map
- Summary of Civil Specifications
Panel #6 Electricity Generated (Adobe PDF)
- Electricity Consumption and Production – How Electricity is Billed
- Generating Electricity Saves Money – Financial Analysis
