Black Hills State University Thomas Hall
- Date: 2019
- Client: Black Hills State University
- Project Type: University Solar
- Project Size:
The second installation of solar panels on Black Hills State University’s Spearfish campus is complete.
GenPro Energy Solutions finished construction and installation of 186, 370 watt solar panels on Thomas Hall in late May.
“We are, by far, ahead of other state schools,” said Cory Johnson, energy manager for BHSU.
The solar panels currently on Bordeaux Hall and Thomas Hall offset around 20% of energy needs associated with those residence halls.
“Both solar projects have less than a 15-year payback time. They will pay for themselves in less than 15 years,” said Eva Chase, sustainability coordinator at BHSU.
Chase added that 20 percent is a conservative number with summer months producing more energy while most students are away for the summer.
“This has been in the works for a couple years of doing a much bigger project that will power a much bigger portion of campus. We started with these smaller projects in Bordeaux and Thomas to kind of get a baseline and gauge the realism of it,” Chase said. “We’re moving onto bigger projects. A longer term project is in the works.”
