Namastè Solar is close to completing a 779-kW rooftop array for the Auraria Higher Education Center (AHEC) in downtown Denver. The system, which is the largest single-roof array in downtown Denver (according to Xcel Energy), is atop the Auraria Sustainable Campus Program’s (ASCP) library and will provide two-thirds of the building’s electricity needs.
“Auraria Campus is fortunate to be situated in one of the most solar-friendly climates in the country and the new solar array reinforces our ongoing commitment to renewable energy initiatives on campus,” said Colleen Walker, AHEC CEO.
The 2,100-panel array will produce approximately 1 million kWh annually. It will supply 2.5% of the annual campus-wide power consumption, increasing the Auraria Campus solar capacity tenfold to 854 kW. Additionally, the energy savings from this project will help increase the ASCP’s annual funding by 10-15% and allow for other impactful projects on campus.
“This is a huge win for the Auraria Campus and the ASCP. Our students and staff have worked so hard to make this a reality. We’re really proud of this project and we’re excited to keep making meaningful progress in this community,” said Chris Herr, Sustainability Officer for the Auraria Campus.
The ASCP was established in 2011 as the result of a student-led initiative focused on reducing the ecological impact of the Auraria Campus as a whole.
“We’re inspired by the tremendous effort the city, county, and state is making to transition to a clean energy economy and we’re thrilled to be able to significantly contribute to the greening of our local grid,” said ASCP Sustainability Coordinator Jackie Slocombe.
In addition to the ASCP’s renewable energy initiative, there are also many student- and program-led initiatives actively focused on addressing water conservation, waste diversion, and alternative transportation.
“The solar energy from this system will benefit the Denver community,” said Eliot Abel, director of commercial project development at Namasté Solar. “With projects like this, Denver residents will benefit from improved air quality thanks to clean, emission-free energy.”
News item from Auraria
The Library is not the ASCP Library. It’s the Auraria Library and it serves the Community College of Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver, and the University of Colorado Denver on the Auraria Camps. The Auraria Sustainable Campus Program (ASCP) is a student-driven committee with the mission of reducing the campus’s ecological impact and dependence on fossil fuels. By ensuring the campus is sustainable, the ASCP helps to reduce costs and improve campus life for all students, faculty, and staff of Auraria Campus.