SOU to expand the use of solar power

ASHLAND, Ore. – Southern Oregon University has received a grant to expand solar power production on campus.

The money comes in the form of a $1 million grant from the Oregon Department of Energy.

This is the next step toward SOU’s goal of becoming the first college or university in the country to generate 100 percent of the electricity used on campus.

According to SOU, the project is massive and will take place over the next ten years.

“It’s very important for SOU to have sustainability at its core, so not only does this make us financially stable, but it also thinks about the environment and the impacts we are having on the climate change. We can’t always rely on finite resources like fossil fuels, we have to move towards solar,” SOU Sustainability Director, Becs Walker said.

The grant will go toward adding solar arrays to the university’s Dining Commons and Recreation Center Complex.

Seven to eight percent of electricity on SOU’s campus is currently solar generated.

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Ethan McReynolds is a reporter and weekend anchor for NBC5 News. He grew up in Bothell, Washington and graduated from Gonzaga University with a degree in Broadcasting and minors in Journalism and Sport Management. At Gonzaga, he started his own sports podcast. Ethan loves rooting for his hometown Seattle sports teams, especially the Mariners. He loves playing baseball, basketball, and soccer. He is also an avid Taylor Swift fan.
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