Local college looks to add solar panel array for lab work

GREENVILLE, Pa. (WKBN) – An idea that could help Thiel College in Greenville generate some of its own electricity could also help attract new students to the campus for their education.

Administrators are looking to see if federal infrastructure funds may be available to underwrite a pilot energy program on campus to install a small solar panel array on an unused piece of college property.

Thiel Board of Trustees Chairman Rod Wilt said the goal would be to expand academic opportunities in the field of alternative energy for students studying business or environmental sciences.

“You can’t drive five or ten minutes outside of this campus and not, in any direction, and not run into a solar field. So to have something here that is a learning lab opportunity that is low-cost-high-impact — something that I’m looking at as the board chair here,” Wilt said.

Administrators hope to have funding in place to add the solar array in time for classes to begin in the fall of next year.

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