The facilities department is currently executing its Intelligent Solar Project, with construction projected to take place this summer and finish in late fall. Solar panels will be placed throughout campus, including specific sections of the Chrouser Sports Complex and Armerding Center roofs. Additionally, the panels will be placed on top of new carports at the Billy Graham East parking lot, which will also provide shade.
The project will install photovoltaic (PV) solar panels and battery energy storage systems to support the sustainability initiative of reducing the college’s carbon footprint. The project will lower the college’s peak carbon footprint of 21.7 metric tons that occurred in the 2016 fiscal year. This is accomplished through the solar project because it lessens campus reliance on total grid consumption through on-site electricity generation.
Solar energy integration into the school’s electrical system has been considered since the fall of 2003. Jay Bieszke, the director of facilities, explained how, over the years, investigations revealed the potential cost-benefit of implementing solar power as too expensive until recently, as several economic factors changed. These will be the first solar panels installed on campus.
In the current economic climate, a solar panel’s life expectancy and output have increased due to technological advancements, while the cost of battery storage and PV systems has decreased. Bieske highlighted that another key factor is the numerous state and federal incentives and rebates for non-profit organizations.
Ultimately, close to 70 percent of the total cost of $10.3 million will be reimbursed by state and federal incentives and rebates, according to Bieszke. After about four years of the system’s operation, the rest of the funds will be paid from the operational savings and will contribute to about 7% of the college’s electrical usage.
This is not the first project the facilities department has undertaken to promote the college’s sustainability initiatives. In 2023, the lights in King’s Arena and Chrouser’s natatorium were replaced with LED lights, known to be much more energy efficient, have a long life span and emit low levels of heat. The Meyer Science Center underwent the same lighting changes in the fall of that same year. The facilities department makes it a practice to replace old systems with new ones to help the college be more efficient.
“We don’t replace same with same when something breaks down or gets old,” Bieszke said. “We tend to look for something that can make it better and serve the campus in a more efficient way in the future.”
Kathryn Maneiro, assistant professor of geology, sits on the Environmental Sustainability Committee, which is made up of faculty, staff and administrators who promote the college’s environmental stewardship. The committee restarted in April 2023 after the pandemic. Maneiro explained that the committee supports the project’s goal regarding Wheaton College’s carbon footprint.
“We have also incorporated the project as an example of a key initiative being undertaken to meet sustainability goals the committee is developing,” Maneiro said.
Maneiro is also the theme coordinator for Aequitas Sustainability, a multidisciplinary program focused on environmental studies. He sees future opportunities for students.
“There is the potential for internship or project opportunities that allow students to calculate and monitor the impact of the solar energy generation provided by the solar installation,” Maniero said. She also plans on integrating the panels as an example for the Aequitas program and her “dynamic Earth and environment” course.
Stephen Moshier, emeritus professor of geology, also commented on its usefulness in the classroom, along with producing renewable energy.
“Having such a working facility on campus will demonstrate the technology to students in various courses,” Moshier said. “It could provide data for student research projects and certainly send a message to prospective students who want to attend a college motivated to utilize new energy technologies.”
Similarly, Chamyra Edwards, a senior environmental science major, looks forward to the experiential learning for students interested in energy efficiency and conservation. “It proves that science theoretical and lab work isn’t just busy work that gets used once, but is all applicable inside and outside of academic settings,” Edwards said.
Edwards pointed out that the project emphasizes other parts of the campus, including the science museum in the Meyer Science Building, which exhibits an energy conservation section. “Having a real working example of solar technology nearby could add a deeper, more interactive layer to that exhibit, especially for younger visitors or prospective students,” Edwards said.
The materials for the solar panel project are ordered, and construction permits were submitted to the city and state this month. Working with the renewable energy developer company Convergence Energy, construction is planned for this summer and is anticipated to be operational in fall 2025.
Maneiro believes that the solar project will provide forward momentum toward sustainability for the college.
“I hope that it will serve as a conversation starter not just for our environmental science and geology majors and minors,” Maneiro said, “but also for all Wheaton students and the broader community of the importance of investments that help move us toward effective care for creation and the need for action to fulfill our biblical call to creation stewardship.”
