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Post by longsuffering on Oct 9, 2021 23:09:44 GMT -5
I just heard Larry Summers, former Harvard President and Treasury Secretary say on Bloomberg the world is "Sleepwalking towards Doom on Climate Change." I like that line.
With six figures of square feet of roof space, I don't think Holy Cross has installed a single solar panel.
Apparently they are buying carbon offset credits. I'm surprised that's acceptable to the student body.
Are any more direct initiatives being planned?
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Post by rgs318 on Oct 10, 2021 6:27:46 GMT -5
For many years we spent time on Star Island every summer in the Isle of Shoals, off the coast of New Hampshire/Maine. Unitarians own the land and run conferences there. They have always been concerned with the environment, and now have a solar farm that makes the island independent of any mainland electricity. It has also been a huge financial help in keeping the island conferences running. I am at a loss to understand why HC has not done something similar.
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Post by hchoops on Oct 10, 2021 7:28:02 GMT -5
I can smell politics entering this thread soon.
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Post by lou on Oct 10, 2021 7:49:33 GMT -5
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Post by sader1970 on Oct 10, 2021 9:38:44 GMT -5
Penn & Teller did a show on what a waste recycling is and allege it does nothing for the environment and cost more than it ever saves in their show “Bullsh1t.” While I disagree with their conclusions, it did create food for thought.
As for solar panels, I do think that if HC does have the many millions we think it has that putting aside the environmental benefit, in the long run it would be a great investment. Every so often HCFC45 tells me about how much he saves on his solar array and makes me wish I had them on my roof which I would do if I didn’t expect to sell my house in 2-3 years and not looking to have our successors reaping the benefits.
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Post by rgs318 on Oct 10, 2021 10:27:43 GMT -5
In fairness, I do not know the cost to the environment that making and maintaining the panels may have. Perhaps that is what makes a solar farm on Mt St James not worth the overall cost to some environmental warriors.
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Oct 10, 2021 10:30:52 GMT -5
Do solar farms work well in a city where it rains half the days?
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Post by sader1970 on Oct 10, 2021 10:51:11 GMT -5
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Post by rgs318 on Oct 10, 2021 12:02:21 GMT -5
Do solar farms work well in a city where it rains half the days? They can as long as they are in a space open enough to get the UV rays from the sun (which even make it through clouds). |
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Post by bfoley82 on Oct 10, 2021 14:09:03 GMT -5
I just heard Larry Summers, former Harvard President and Treasury Secretary say on Bloomberg the world is "Sleepwalking towards Doom on Climate Change." I like that line. With six figures of square feet of roof space, I don't think Holy Cross has installed a single solar panel. Apparently they are buying carbon offset credits. I'm surprised that's acceptable to the student body. Are any more direct initiatives being planned? Interesting that Holy Cross hasn't put in solar panels in the parking lot in front of Hogan like UMass has at the Mullins Center. www.umass.edu/sustainability/climate-change-energy/solar |
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Oct 10, 2021 14:17:37 GMT -5
What is the cost to generate electricity via solar panels in Massachusetts versus what the local utility charges? The commercial rate in Worcester, per one site I found, is 7/38 cents per kilowatt hour.
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Post by longsuffering on Oct 10, 2021 15:49:21 GMT -5
I just heard Larry Summers, former Harvard President and Treasury Secretary say on Bloomberg the world is "Sleepwalking towards Doom on Climate Change." I like that line. With six figures of square feet of roof space, I don't think Holy Cross has installed a single solar panel. Apparently they are buying carbon offset credits. I'm surprised that's acceptable to the student body. Are any more direct initiatives being planned? Interesting that Holy Cross hasn't put in solar panels in the parking lot in front of Hogan like UMass has at the Mullins Center. www.umass.edu/sustainability/climate-change-energy/solarNever saw that carport style solar arrangement before. As they say in Ireland, "Brilliant!" Less scraping of the windshield in the winter. |
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Post by longsuffering on Oct 10, 2021 15:52:51 GMT -5
What is the cost to generate electricity via solar panels in Massachusetts versus what the local utility charges? The commercial rate in Worcester, per one site I found, is 7/38 cents per kilowatt hour. I suspect that is for one of the two major components, either generation or distribution/supply. It sounds too low to be the full kit and kaboodle. |
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Post by longsuffering on Oct 10, 2021 16:13:32 GMT -5
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Oct 10, 2021 17:33:44 GMT -5
Those rates are insane
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Post by sader1970 on Oct 10, 2021 18:07:07 GMT -5
And, apparently you can save a ton of money if you have a solar array as long as you can afford the initial investment that is presumably offset to some degree by tax incentives.
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Post by timholycross on Oct 11, 2021 8:48:35 GMT -5
Never saw that carport style solar arrangement before. As they say in Ireland, "Brilliant!" Less scraping of the windshield in the winter. Ashland, Wayland and Lincoln Sudbury high schools all have this type of parking. |
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Post by rgs318 on Oct 11, 2021 11:43:52 GMT -5
Many of the North Jersey high schools and elementary schools have similar panels, as does Ramapo College.
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Post by Crucis#1 on Oct 11, 2021 14:12:37 GMT -5
West farms Mall and Buckland Hills Mall and Seabury Retirement Community in CT also have a similar array with solar panels covering parking spaces.
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Post by CHC8485 on Oct 11, 2021 15:02:11 GMT -5
With a shape like that, those panels must have a hell of a snow load rating. And better not be standing on the island between the columns when the snow decides to slide off the face of the panels!
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Post by longsuffering on Oct 11, 2021 15:40:43 GMT -5
With a shape like that, those panels must have a hell of a snow load rating. And better not be standing on the island between the columns when the snow decides to slide off the face of the panels! Can't tell from this photo, but seems reasonable to put in 20" or so high walls around the roof edges to stop the slide, with some type of drain pipe for the melted snow and ice to exit onto the grass. |
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Oct 11, 2021 18:57:51 GMT -5
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Post by Crucis#1 on Oct 11, 2021 19:59:06 GMT -5
I would venture that odds of getting West Boylston to approve a clear cut of trees for the project would be 0 to nil. For those Crossporters who have been to the Joyce Center, you understand why this would be severely compromise the beauty of the property.
Aesthetically, regarding placement at on the HC campus, maybe the remodeled Easy Street dorms,as well as the new dorms with a design along the roof to obscure the solar panels from a normal view or possibly the paving of the HoJo’s lot with the solar panels shielding the parking lot spaces. The issue there would be limiting the spaces in the west for tailgating during football.
Unlike a flat campus where the panels can be easily hidden, the topography of Mt. St.James presents a visual challenge regarding placement of the panels.
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Post by longsuffering on Oct 11, 2021 20:00:41 GMT -5
I think the environmentalists have a point. During the Romney Administration (in MA. - the national Romney Administration never happened) there was an initiative for "smart growth." That called for not ruining environmentally sensitive virgin tracts of rural land to build more housing but rather adjust zoning regulations to encourage building more densely near public transportation. The goal was a two-fer for the environment by reducing pollution from cars and protecting the ecosystem.
Using this thinking I'd rather see Georgetown maximize solar on their existing buildings and leave the trees and Bay alone. Good architects should be able to preserve much of the gothic look and classic sightlines while adding solar.
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Post by longsuffering on Oct 11, 2021 20:11:25 GMT -5
I would venture that odds of getting West Boylston to approve a clear cut of trees for the project would be 0 to nil. For those Crossporters who have been to the Joyce Center, you understand why this would be severely compromise the beauty of the property. Aesthetically, regarding placement at on the HC campus, maybe the remodeled Easy Street dorms,as well as the new dorms with a design along the roof to obscure the solar panels from a normal view or possibly the paving of the HoJo’s lot with the solar panels shielding the parking lot spaces. The issue there would be limiting the spaces in the west for tailgating during football. Unlike a flat campus where the panels can be easily hidden, the topography of Mt. St.James presents a visual challenge regarding placement of the panels. To me Hogan, Healy, Lehy, Clark, Hanselman, Mulledy, Beaven, Wheeler, Kimball, Loyola, Luth, Carlin, Alumni etc. would look smarter with architecturally designed attractive panels on their roofs. When it's done well it looks good and it looks intelligent, imo. |
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