MAREC receives grant to study solar thermal systems
Grand Valley State University’s Michigan Alternative and Renewable
Energy Center received a grant from the Michigan Energy Office to
study solar thermal system costs and efficiency improvements for use
in Michigan’s climate.
Kim Walton, program director for MAREC, said some large solar
energy systems that are being installed in West Michigan are based on
design criteria that come from other parts of the country, and may or
may not be optimal for the West Michigan region.
“West Michigan is an area where very little solar research has
been conducted,” she said. “Understanding how different factors work
together can help installers of the solar systems design the most
efficient systems and lower overall costs.”
The $44,000 grant will fund data collection over a one-year
period. Walton will collect data from homes in the Muskegon-Oceana
area that received renewable energy systems from
a grant from Sustainable Energy Resources for Consumers in
November of 2011. The residential data that will be collected includes
the type of technology used, mounting factors, costs for materials,
labor, fees and permits.
Data will also be collected from photovoltaic (PV) panel test
beds that were constructed and installed at MAREC. The test beds
consist of PV panels with micro inverters configured to provide
specific output data for solar panel angles and interaction of snow
cover. The PV test beds are installed next to MAREC’s Solar Center, a
space that houses solar equipment that is used for research and
training in classes and other activities.
Walton said while the study is funded for one year, she plans to
continue to gather data for several years.
For more information, contact Kim Walton at [email protected] or (616) 331-6907.
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