Haverford Township Budgets $1 Million for Solar Projects on Bi-Co Recommendation
An October article on the Bryn Mawr website highlighted a presentation done by Professor of Mathematics Victor Donnay and a group of Bi-Co students along with several Haverford Township residents to the township's Board of Commissioners.
The group, which included Liwei Yang ’21 and Johnluca Fenton (HC ’21), presented the commissioners with an analysis of the cost, potential savings, and environmental benefits of installing solar panels on several township buildings.
In December when the commissioners finalized their yearly budget, the township earmarked $1 million for a solar project. And in February, they are likely to vote to have Donnay, who is a resident of the township, serve on the newly formed Solar Advisory Committee.
The project grew out of the Climate Change 360° Donnay was part of during the spring 2020 semester.
"This is a great example of the 360° program making an impact, not only in the lives of our Bi-Co students, but in our wider community," says Donnay.
In addition to working on the solar panel project with the township, Donnay is also part of a group forming a local chapter of the Clean Energy Coop.
Donnay will again be teaching a course on Math Modeling and Sustainability during the Spring 2021 semester.
From the course description:
"Is it possible to meet all of our energy needs using renewable energy? How much energy does a typical person in the United States use per year—for transportation, food production, home heating and cooling? What is the carbon footprint associated with this energy use? How much energy can be produced by solar panels and wind turbines (per square meter of installation) and so how many square miles of land would need to be devoted to solar and wind farms? By how much can we reduce energy use via conservation or new technologies? Are these approaches cost effective? What do we mean by "cost effective"?"
The Math Department at Bryn Mawr is a vibrant and supportive community with a program that has been nationally recognized by the American Mathematical Society.