Solar Family Fun at the Zoo
Sometimes we simply can’t resist the temptation to promote solar energy in yet another new application. We’ve seen solar at the ballpark and solar at the soccer and football stadiums, and now we are seeing solar at the San Diego Zoo.
According to the Daily Transcript’s San Diego Source section, the Smart City San Diego Solar-to-EV project will “bring to the zoo something not seen anywhere else in the San Diego area: a solar power generating system designed not only to pump electricity to electric vehicles needing a charge, but also into the region’s energy supply.” A recent CleanTechnica.com article discussed the zoo’s plans to add “a solar photovoltaic canopy system and five electric vehicle chargers.” Additionally, the “ten (solar) canopies equipped with PV panels,” will “have a capacity of 90kW,” according to GetSolar.com.
Construction began on September 4, and the project is scheduled to be completed by this Thanksgiving. This project is the latest to result from the Smart City San Diego initiative, a collaborative effort to increase San Diego’s sustainability, between the city of San Diego, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), General Electric Co., the nonprofit CleanTech San Diego, and the University of California San Diego.
In a recent statement, John Dunlap, director of the San Diego Zoo claimed, “by providing a sustainable energy mechanism at a well-known destination like the zoo, we are not only raising awareness for this technology, but we are making this option available to guests that we host from all over the world.”
SDG&E’s Sustainable Communities Program will own and manage this $1.2 million project. Additionally, the “four charging stations powered by the solar panels are part of The EV Project, a U.S. Department of Energy-funded initiative to deliver electric vehicle charging stations in various cities.” The integration of a “100-kilowatt energy storage system capable of feeding energy back into the grid…sets the project aside from any undertaken by SDG&E throughout its service territory.” Those working on the project believe it “…will serve as a new energy infrastructure blueprint for the region, with the hope that its design will be replicated elsewhere.” Jim Avery, senior vice president of power supply for utility SDG&E released a statement claiming:
Experts say that by 2020 we could see more than 200,000 plug-in EVs in (the San Diego) region. The Zoo has been forward-thinking about creating a sustainable future for our children to enjoy, so collaborating on this solar project was a natural fit. It will demonstrate new technology, and provide guests with a way to charge their EVs with clean energy while they visit the zoo.
Upon its completion, the project will supposedly generate “enough power for about 59 homes or the equivalent of offsetting the release of more than 189,000 pounds of carbon dioxide into the air per year. To achieve the same effect with plant life, more than 2,700 new trees would have to be planted every year.” Furthermore, San Diego mayor, Jerry Sanders believes “this project will further demonstrate our clean energy leadership to the rest of the world.”
While the environmental benefits of the project are evident, it will also have educational benefits. As the zoohosts millions of people annually, “…the solar canopies and EV chargers will be part of an educational experience about clean energy…” It is imperative to remember that the zoo draws many children to visit, “so they will be able to learn about animals, clean energy, and climate change in one setting.” Connecting the Solar-EV exhibit to the effects of fossil fuels and climate change on animals present at the zoo, such as polar bears, will further emphasize the importance of renewable energy sources to future generations.