The Science, Math and Technology Education, or SMATE, building installed solar panels on its roof on Jan. 30, 2025.
The solar panels provide emission-free energy for the whole building, said Jeff Aslan, the assistant director of Campus Utilities and Sustainability.
Solar energy is an encompassing learning opportunity for students. Internships and courses available for students at the Institute of Energy Studies include engagement with these solar panels. These solar panels expand on these opportunities for students, Aslan said.
There is a comprehensive view of them from the sky bridge across the biology building, Aslan said.
“Solar is great for that in terms of having something that’s kind of a visual landmark that can engage people,” Aslan said.
Energy management work is usually invisible to the untrained eye, so solar panels are a great example of being able to observe something directly in front of someone, Aslan said.
“I’m glad that SMATE has been able to contribute toward WWU’s energy goals in this way,” Emily Borda, the director of SMATE, said in an email. “I was surprised by the scale and scope of the project.”
A goal to look forward to is implementing solar panels on more existing buildings, Aslan said.
Adding more solar panels is a goal. However, heavy shading makes some buildings less compatible with solar panels, Aslan said.
“I don’t firmly believe in cutting down trees to put solar panels on buildings,” Aslan said.
The solar panels that SMATE is using are designed to work well in overcast weather, although they do work better in sunnier conditions. They are designed with bifacial technology, that allows sun rays to hit the roof and bounce back to the solar panels, Aslan said.
Solar power is also a generally inexpensive form of electrical production. 90% of the funding for SMATE’s solar power project was from federal grants from the U.S. Department of Commerce. The solar panels cost $350,000 with an additional $30,000 to $40,000 for in-house support costs, Aslan said.
“SMATE will pay for itself in about a year or two,” Aslan said, “They make a lot of sense from a financial perspective.”
Despite solar panels being an inexpensive solution to energy production, it is hard to tell what the future of solar energy will be. The Trump administration has been putting pauses on the Inflation Reduction Act, which may impact the way energy production is funded, Aslan said.
“I don’t think solar is the biggest target, but it certainly puts a question mark as to our future funding availability for other projects,” Aslan said.
Light’s energy moves as a current through solar panels, this is essential for power, said Dr. Froylán Sifuentes, an energy scientist, engineer and assistant professor at the Institute of Energy Studies at Western.
LED lights produce energy by passing electrical current through a semiconductor material, which results in light production. Solar panels work similarly, but take in the light that the sun provides, Sifuentes said.
The energy from solar panels cannot be stored as the energy comes in, it has to be used. The energy from these solar panels on SMATE’s roof works with the power grid to operate the building. A battery is also required to use the energy production later, Sifuentes said.
The implementation of solar panels on SMATE’s roof is a first step to creating efficient energy for Western’s buildings, Aslan said.
“There will definitely be more projects,” Aslan said. “Stay tuned for more coming down the road.”
Allie Van Parys is a campus life reporter for The Front. They are in their second year at Western, majoring in communication studies and minoring in public relations. In their free time, you can find them playing the drums, making collages, and hanging out at the beach. You can contact them at allievanparys.thefront@gmail.com.
