In an effort to reduce their carbon footprint and in line with their desire to be “good stewards of the planet,” the W. M. Keck Observatory on Hawaii’s Big Island now has 332 solar panels. The panels will provide 259.1 MWh of power annually, or about 10-15% of the observatory’s energy requirements.
Duke Energy’s REC Solar company, who installed the panels, had to contend with several particularly difficult factors. First, the panels are 13,600 ft. above sea level, which is reportedly the highest a solar panel array of this size has ever been installed. High wind gusts are typical several times a year, so wind resistance was a major consideration. The 20,940-sq.-ft. ballasted roof has no structural framework to which the system can be anchored, so specialized mechanical attachments were created. When it came time for the actual installation, there was also the issue of working at such a high elevation, where there is about 40% less oxygen than at sea level.
The panels are “strategically located” between two of the observatory’s domes, Keck I and Keck II, to prevent ice and snow from atop the domes from impacting the solar panels.
Watch a brief video below.
Keck Observatory Completes Solar PV Project on Maunakea from Keck Observatory on Vimeo.
— keckobservatory.org, Daily Energy Insider
Join presenter Samir Ibrahim, F-IIBEC, AIA, CSI, and moderator Brandon Gemma on Wednesday, October 16 at 2:00 p.m. ET for a live webinar, Leak Investigation: Methods, Assessment, and Strategies. This activity has been approved for 1.0 IIBEC CEH. This activity has been approved for 1.0 AIA LU/HSW.
This educational program focuses on the evolution of methods and practices used to detect moisture intrusion, primarily in roofing and waterproofing. Different methods of testing will be discussed, and appropriate selection criteria, depending on each project’s conditions, will be explored. The need for stricter quality control will be discussed and suitable testing methods identified. Participants will be able to generate a forward-thinking strategy when performing field assessments of designing a new project. This webinar will focus on a review of the methods available and is not specific to any one leak detection system.
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