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Workshop on E.O. 13514

IT Sustainability

Have you seen this array move?

LOCATION The tracking solar array is a prominent feature of ORNL's east campus quad, visible from several buildings, including the building housing ORNL's Visitors' Center, cafeteria, and Conference Center.	TECHNOLOGY At its peak output of 4.2 kW, the array produces about half of the power needed by an average Tennessee home each year. Its panels are tilted to maximize the solar input at our 36° latitude and track the sun across the sky each day. The Sharp solar panels were manufactured in Memphis, Tennessee, while the tracker was made by Arizona Public Services in Tempe, Arizona.	INSTALLATION ORNL's Facilities and Operations (F&O) staff and Research and Development (R&D) staff collaborated to install the array before the first Southeast Solar Summit, held at ORNL in the fall of 2007. F&O benefitted from the credit ORNL receives for using renewable power that feeds into the ORNL grid. R&D benefits from the visibility of solar research here at ORNL. Initial concerns about the installation, operation, and functionality of the system were alleviated once the array began to function.

This array's 24 solar panels are mounted on a base that tracks the movement of the sun.
Cells in the solar panels convert sunlight to electricity, which is fed back into the electrical grid.

OPERATION The approximately 9 MWh/yr direct current produced is converted to about 7 MWh/yr alternating current and fed to the electric grid. The array is about 14% efficient, a typical efficiency for a solar module. It provides the grid with offsetting power for Building 5300 and the Visitor's Center. Its solar-generated power displaces about 11,700 pounds of carbon dioxide that would be released in the atmosphere each year in generating an equivalent amount of electricity with fossil fuels. Real-time readouts of the energy produced can be viewed on the back of the array.	R&D BENEFITS A symbol of alternative energy research at ORNL, the array was a focal point for the 2007 Solar Summit at ORNL. It currently is not used for specific research projects.	F&O BENEFITS In addition to experience gained from installing and operating a photovoltaic array, ORNL's operations continue to benefit from the renewable power generated and the associated reduction in utility bills. ORNL is required by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Pub. L. 109-58) to obtain at least 5% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2010 and 7.5% by 2013. Renewable energy produced and used on site earns double credit.

(Last updated: October 12, 2009.)