A south facing 10-foot wide panel of photovoltaic (PV) cells greets visitors to the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, demonstrating solar power's contribution to the mix of renewable energy sources and reflecting the HMSC's commitment to sustainability and education.
The recently installed PV system, west of the Visitor CenterŐs entrance, features one 1.1 kW array and six Sharp 170 watt PV Modules. With an hour of full sun, it can light 70 compact fluorescent light bulbs. Over a year, that's more than 1,000 kilowatt-hours of pollution-free electricity fed back into the regional power grid.
The Bonneville Power Administration provided funding for this project, with in-kind support from Oregon State University and the Hatfield Marine Science Center.