The Park Scholars Class of 2015 decided to use their legacy gift to make campus a little greener.

Recently, a solar powered structure, deemed a solar tree, was set up near James B. Hunt Jr. Library thanks to funding from the Parks Scholars program in hopes to spark conversation, understanding and consideration of energy issues on campus. The new student-led project adds to the already eleven existing solar installations on NC State’s campus.

The environmentally friendly tree is sixteen feet tall and has six solar panels, providing power to a grid-independent battery bank. The tree provides Centennial with some courtyard lighting, as well as provides four 120-volt plugs for students and faculty to charge their electronic devices. 

The tree was installed by Yes! Solar Solutions of Cary after being designed by Spotlight Solar, a company that brands itself off of designing attractive solar structures.

“Spotlight Solar is leading the creation of a niche for an aesthetic solar within the broader solar market,” said Craig Merrigan, CEO of Spotlight Solar.

According to the project’s website, the tree will reduce an estimated 2,881 pounds of carbon dioxide, 11.5 pounds of sulfur dioxide and 4.4 pounds of nitrogen oxide a year. The university would have to plant 34 trees a year to offset the amount of greenhouse gases the solar tree is saving.

The Parks Scholars Class of 2015 worked for two years to bring the solar tree to campus, according to Brian Iezzi, the board chair of the 2015-2016 sustainability fund. They were able to raise the $45,000 thanks to a grant given by the Sustainability Fund for the 2014-2015 cycle, as well as donations from other organizations, such as NC Clean Energy Technology Center.

The project was also made possible thanks to the Division of Student and Academic Affairs, NC State Student Government, UNC System Association for Student Government and the Centennial Campus Development Office.

Even though the Parks Scholars Class of 2015 has graduated, its energy saving initiative remains. 

“The cool thing is, in the 2015-2016 cycle so far this year, we just installed three solar umbrellas outside of Tucker Hall,” Iezzi said.

NC State Sustainability has set a goal to reduce its overall campus energy usage. Thanks to the new solar tree and solar umbrellas, the campus has completed 30 percent of its desired goal.