Calvin University and Sun FundED are commencing the planning phase of solar panel implementation. Although most of the plan for the implementation of solar power is still taking shape, both organizations have an idea of how things could look.   

Since a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the university and Sun FundED  this past summer, both parties have been in discussions about energy estimates and constructional planning. 

According to Tim Fennema, chief financial officer at Calvin, the proposed installation of solar-energy generating panels is expected to generate two megawatts per hour, and offset an estimated 15 percent of Calvin’s electricity usage. 

Fennema said that Calvin is currently considering a variety of potential locations as possible sites for the placement of the panels. These sites include parking lot 16 by the Prince Conference Center, the lawn between the Prince Conference Center and the Bunker Interpretive Center, the south-facing roofs of the Van Noord Arena and Venema Aquatic Center, some of Commons Lawn and other locations. 

The placement of the panels would ultimately come down to “available sunlight … the structure of the roofs, if there are going to be roof mounts and the cost [to install the panels].” Fennema said. 

Sun FundED 

Sun FundED is an educational service company that helps educational organizations integrate solar energy by connecting them with outside investors. Fennema said that Sun FundED’s dedication to education is one of many reasons why they were ideal partners for Calvin.     

According to Fennema, a major attraction to Sun FundED is that their partnership does not require Calvin to invest any capital.

“We don’t have to worry about insurance, … the products themselves … [or] the installation; they take care of all of that for us,” Fennema said.  

A long-term partnership with Sun FundED would mean that Calvin would only need to house the solar equipment, and SunFundED would then take care of the construction and maintenance of the solar program. 

Sun FundED also hosts SAMI, an educational program that goes along with their services. According to their website, SAMI is a web based program through which schools can include education pertaining to solar energy into their curriculum. Fennema said that Calvin hopes to eventually integrate SAMI into its curriculum. 

“A step in the right direction”

According to Fennema, the current plan is to install the solar panels by December 2023. This timeline depends on a lot of variables, including how long it would take to get the regulatory approvals for commencing construction and the construction itself. 

Requirements for regulatory approvals get increasingly strict the higher the offset percentage goes up. “Once we start getting into bigger numbers, regulations go up quite a bit … So we are maximizing the opportunity we can …to generate solar [energy] back into our own campus. …[Then] we can [look] at all kinds of sustainable opportunities to reduce our carbon emissions,” Fennema said.     

Nevertheless, with Calvin aiming at Carbon neutrality by 2057, Fennema believes that the partnership with Sun FundED is a step in the right direction.   

Matthew Heun, professor of mechanical engineering, agreed. “The Sun FundED partnership is a good first meaningful step toward carbon neutrality although the Sun FundED partnership reduces much less than half of our CO2 emissions from electricity,” Heun said.

“We have to develop other mechanisms … to get us to that carbon neutrality as soon as possible. … This is one step in that journey. It is not going be the whole thing but it would get us in the right direction,” Fennema said.