Solar panels will produce one tenth of the electricity used at Arcada
Published: 12.05.2017 / Press release
In May, 476 solar panels will be installed on Arcada’s roof. The investment in sustainable energy is important from an environmental point of view, and the solar energy system will also be used in teaching, research and development work at the university of applied sciences.
The solar panels are expected to be in use by late June and will produce an estimated 125,000 kilowatt-hours per year. This corresponds to the average energy consumption of more than sixty flats.
‘As a green university of applied sciences, we want to prioritise renewable energy. From an environmental point of view, the positive result will be visible immediately, and financially, the investment will pay for itself within ten years’, says Jörgen Wiik, CEO of the property company Arcada Nova, which is responsible for property management on Arcada’s campus.
Apart from producing energy equal to one tenth of the annual consumption at Arcada, the solar panels will also be used for teaching, research and development. The solar energy system is particularly useful for the Department of Energy and Materials Technology.
‘The engineering programmes can use real data and information about actual consumption, which is, of course, beneficial for both teachers and students. It is also interesting for Arcada to be able to use this information for optimising the use of energy.’
The solar energy system is expected to be the most efficient between March and October, with peak production in July. The conditions on Arcada’s roof are ideal for solar panels, as there are no tall buildings or trees blocking the sunlight. Infographics on the information screens will inform all visitors to Arcada about the energy production.
‘Our goal is to be able to show how big a part of the Arcada building is running on solar energy at the moment, as that illustrates the results of the solar panel system in a simple and easy-to-understand way’, Wiik explains.
The ventilation and lighting systems are the top energy consumers in the Arcada building. However, the consumption has been falling continuously, thanks to persistent work to reduce unnecessary energy consumption. For example, all light sources in the campus area will be equipped with energy efficient LED bulbs.
‘We are now eagerly waiting to start using the solar panels and replace a proportion of the energy we consume with green energy that we produce ourselves. We hope that this initiative will also contribute to new insights and environmental awareness among students and staff.’
Yrkesinstitutet Prakticum will have solar panels installed at the same time as Arcada, and Arcada’s new sports hall will also be equipped with solar panels when it is completed.
More information:
Jörgen Wiik, Arcada Nova, 050 406 7818, E-mail: jorgen.wiik
