Solar field replaces corn field

Mercer's President, Dr. Patricia Donahue, told The VOICE, that the solar project will not cause student tuition to be raised as the funds are coming from a renewable energy initiative at the state and county level.  

Donohue believes the project will ultimately save MCCC money. She said, "We have cut an awful lot of our budget lately...part of the savings [on electricity] we hope will help stabilize some of the cutting [of staff] we've had to do."  Actual figures on how much the college will save will not be available until the project is complete, but a Mercer press release issued in September estimated the savings at $1 million per year.

Donahue explained that the total combined utility bills for the James Kearney Campus and the West Windsor campus are around $3.4 million and are responsible for roughly 6 percent of the budget.  Donohue says the goal is for the solar panels to provide 70 percent of the power usage for the West Windsor campus.

Professor Garry Perryman who teaches Solar Installation Technology at Mercer says that the solar field will be "a real specialty to maintain." When asked about potential student involvement with the project, Perryman said: "Someone from the solar field design company will do a presentation. I hope they will broadcast to the students though."

When asked if Mercer's Solar Energy Technology students will be involved in the project, President Donahue said, "Because we're not building it, we cannot say students can help build it... We hope that degree programs will use this as an education opportunity...While we cannot say students will intern [with SunLight Company], getting to see the plans and walk the fields will benefit them."

"If we've sent students in there and disrupted the process...then there's a problem.  We've muddied the waters on who is liable," said Donahue.

The solar array will be hidden somewhat by plantings. According to Professor Amy Iseneker Ricco, Coordinator of Ornamental Horticulture, "There will be plantings around the field and the plants will be of significant size." She continued, "I haven't been asked for recommendations, and as far as I know, an outside contractor will be doing the planting."

According to Donahue, SunLight Company will be responsible for contracting planting in the buffering zone.  She also said that "The horticulture program will certainly have the opportunity to study (the planting process)."