SALISBURY, MD---When it comes to electricity, Salisbury University soon will have it made in the shade — literally.
On the eve of Earth Day, the University announced plans for a new solar parking lot. Solar canopies covering SU’s Parking Lot H, on College Avenue, will collect energy from the sun to help power adjacent academic buildings while providing shade for vehicles using the lot.
“The panels will generate approximately 765,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually,” said Wayne Shelton, SU director of campus sustainability and environmental safety. “Comparatively, that quantity represents 51 percent of the electricity used by Holloway Hall, 34 percent of the consumption in Fulton Hall or 32 percent of Conway Hall.”
Standard Solar, the contractor installing the system, will own, operate and maintain it for 20 years, after which ownership will revert to SU. The project also will include an educational display listing performance data and related information.
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9 comments:
There are many businesses and condos in Florida that have installed similar designs. So far they have not had any negative issues.
#1. No mention of the cost or the amount of taxpayer subsidies.
#2. Doubtful that an array that small can generate 765,000 kwh.
#3. No doubt that estimated generation is only the best case scenario.
#4. In 20 years, probably less, system will be obsolete and demolition and disposal costs will be prohibitive. You can't just take solar panels to the landfill; they are hazardous material.
I was at the SU lax NCAA Championship last year in philly and they had those on their parking lot. Smart use of one stone for 2 birds.
8:39 How about you investigate it and meet with SU and the Standard Solar to get answers to your questions. Afterwards, get back to us with facts rather than conjecture.
So the money that SU gets for the power IF Any shouldnt it go back to the TAXPAYER bc SU gets tax payer $$$$
The problem with solar is its costs are passed to other electricity consumers. But placing panels on pervious services and rooftops makes better sense than wasting productive land.
SU did it first UMES and Wor-Wic to follow.
Honestly, SU is building and expanding quite frequently, but I don't exactly see an increase in the product that they are putting out. Since I graduated in 2005, they have built Conway Hall, Perdue Hall, the Academic Commons, Sea Gull Square, the parking garage and the football stadium. They have acquired several properties along Camden Ave, the Nolan Plumbing building and the Dresser property. They have rebuilt the softball field and tennis courts. That is hundreds of millions of dollars in costs. Tuition has gone up rather modestly - it was about $3,500 per semester when I was there and now it is around $4,500. And the student enrollment has increase to 8,700 from about 6,000.
All that being said, I have seen a clear regression in the quality of the graduating student body. Perhaps it is the millennial effect, the devaluation of the college degree or maybe even the development of my own personal wisdom, but I do NOT see the return on SU's investment. I have employed dozens of SU interns (both graduate and undergraduates) over the past 11 years and the intern quality has been on a steady decline. I'm talking on all levels - academic knowledge, attitude, reliability, personality and, most importantly, work ethic. Even when I look at students entering or established in other fields, I see very little evidence of a quality education coming out of SU. My wife, who works in human resources has noticed the same and will often not even consider candidates with SU on their resume.
Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate my SU degree and it established my foot in the door for my work ethic to take over in my career, but that is about it. I often wonder if I could be leading an even better career in another field without a college education - something that I would likely enjoy even more. That's why I always tell young people to pursue something that they want to enjoy doing and don't let this "you MUST go to college" mantra determine the path of your career.
I also think that my education was a "bargain" when I was in school. My college education only cost me around $30,000 and since I worked full time while I was going to school full time, I left college with only $5,000 of student debt. Not too shabby; however, there are other SU graduates that are not that lucky, or smart... According to SU's website, it can cost out-of-state students upwards of $32,000 per year to attend SU. That's $128,000 for a bachelor's degree!! Who in their right mind would pay that kind of money for a Salisbury University education?! Actually, I know the answer to that - it's the rich parents of spoiled brats and us taxpayers for the low income students.
The decision to go to college is a big one, but the decision to not go is even bigger. We need to install a sense of pride, respect and eagerness into young people to go do something for themselves without college. There is no shame in vocational and skilled labor. In fact, we need it and it is paying EXTREMELY well right now. This is what pisses me off the most about democrats thinking that everybody "needs" to go to college and has a right to such. It is simply a way for them to brainwash more liberals in the classroom and it deflates the value of a college education. Nowadays, a bachelor's degree isn't much more than a piece of paper. Shoot, I'd sell mine if that's all they want and go down another career path.
Sorry for the rant, but I have lost a lot of respect for SU after realizing that it wasn't my SU degree that made my career; it was my work ethic.
Always with the negative waves there 839??? How about finding out the answers to those questions and report back to us with POSITIVE WAVES BABY!!!!!
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