The Solar Squad: Building a Sustainable Future Today

Hyun Cho

Alfredo De La Cruz

Christopher Lambert

Jair Jaramillo

Emad Zuberi

Our company, The Solar Squad, is pleased to propose an environmentally friendly

alternative to the existing power source that drives the University of Texas at Dallas campus.
This plan will help the institution become more energy efficient and reduce the institution's
carbon footprint. The cost of energy resources have been on the rise compared to previous years.
Schools like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Colorado, and the
University of North Carolina, have all made groundbreaking advancements in renewable energy
practices by implementing solar energy on campus. With declining prices and increasing
environmental issues due to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, it is important that our university
follow suit and take a step toward sustainability by utilizing the most sustainable and
opportunistic form of energy.
Approximately 200 jobs will be created to accomplish this project in its entirety.
Additionally, educational opportunities will also be created by allowing students and researchers
from the University of Texas at Dallas to participate in different areas of the process. Many
students will be able to receive first-hand experience through involvement in research and
development, engineering, operations management, and other educational enriching roles. The
University of Texas at Dallas will have the opportunity to contribute in future research and
development that will benefit the renewable energy field. This project will provide the
opportunity for specific renewable energy courses to be developed and integrated into the
university curriculum.
SolarCity will be a valuable participating partner in this project. They bring vast
knowledge and notable experience in the North Texas region. SolarCity has participated in
creating similar projects on school campuses around the country. The expertise SolarCity will
contribute to the project will provide for smoother operations and reduce the amount of time
needed for each section of the project. This project will provide Dallas with an environmentally
friendly way to produce energy and will be a significant step to realizing the potential Texas has
in the solar energy field.
Although the University of Texas at Dallas has some solar panels on campus, they are
small in quantity and are neither commercially profitable nor educationally helpful. The
University of Texas at Dallas is not efficiently collecting benefits from the solar panels. Our
university cannot be left behind when it comes to solar energy and its application on campus.
Our objective is to provide a sustainable energy source that can help the University of
Texas at Dallas reduce costs and be a more environmentally friendly campus. Our project can be
summarized with three Es: Economy, Education and Environment.

Economy: the University of Texas at Dallas will save on electrical costs and receive tax
deductions from the government
Education: expand the degree programs in the University of Texas at Dallas to enhance
the universitys student recruitment opportunities
Environment: reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide a greener alternative to fossil
fuels

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Figure A Average Annual Sunshine

(Retrieved July 26, 2015 from http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/national_atlas_1970/ca000073.jpg)

Background/Problem/Purpose:
With its abundant sunshine, specialized manufacturing base, and growing research
institutions, Texas is in a great position to compete in the solar energy market. Texas is currently
ranked No. 1 nationally in solar potential (Texas Open for Business). A 2014 report from the
International Energy Agency predicts that by 2050, solar energy will make up more than 50% of
the total electricity produced in the world (Ayre). As costs associated with solar energy
equipment continue to decrease, the growth for the solar energy industry will continue to further
expand.
Solar panels work by harnessing rays from the sun. They are made up of smaller units
called photovoltaic cells. The cells need to have an electric field so that there will be a flow of
energy. Energy harnessed by the panels is then sent to a battery to store the energy for use when
needed. When the energy is needed it is sent to an inverter which controls the voltage levels
being sent to various appliances.
In the year 2009-2010, the University of Texas at Dallas reported an electricity bill of $7
million (T. Junt, personal communication, July 10, 2015). The university annually produces
639,214 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. This project will allow the University of Texas
at Dallas to reduce its carbon footprint and substantially decrease its electricity bill. We aim to
provide the university with resources that will contribute to a possible addition in the engineering
curriculum focusing on solar energy. Students could have the opportunity to work alongside
experts and develop their skills in this growing industry.
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Plan/Proposal:
The project will call for the installation of approximately 33,000 solar panels on 50 acres
of existing rooftops and parking spaces. A total of 200 jobs will be created in order to execute
and complete this project. The project itself will cost a total of $20 million, but $10 million has
already been acquired.
Benefits/Examples:
The University of Texas at Dallas stands to gain many benefits from expanding solar
panels on campus. Renewable energy, especially solar energy, is a field that has in recent years
sparked the interest of many universities and research facilities. Because of its long-lasting
durability and green-friendly aspects, many states encourage solar panel installation by tax
reductions and other favorable policies. There have been many universities that have installed
solar panels on their property and are reaping the benefits from their investments. Three types of
benefits are expected with the expansion of solar panels.
Economic Benefits:
Contrary to public opinion, solar panels can be an economical choice, especially as a
long-term investment. Although initial installation costs are high, the advancement of technology
continues to reduce the cost of installations all around the country. McKinsey & Company
believes the cost of installing a watt of solar generating capacity could halve over the next five
years (Banishing, 2015). The government offers a 30% investment tax credit on the solar panel
installation on the installation. When we apply this on our project, the University of Texas at
Dallas would claim $6 million. This will be a significant boost for the project by reducing the
overall cost. Annually, this project will help University of Texas at Dallas save $700,000 in
electricity cost. In 10 years, it can save $7 million and it will take about 28 years to recover
initial investment. Oncor has an Educational Facilities Program, providing educational material,
technical assistance and monetary incentives to schools to help minimize energy usage and
encourage infrastructure improvements. UTD has previously received over $98,000 from
Oncor for installing energy-efficient equipment. (Campus Energy, 2012). Oncor is going to
reward the university with an incentive of $4 million for the solar project on campus. This
project will also benefit the community by creating two hundred jobs most of which will be filled
by local people. In the Cornell Snyder Solar Farm, 30 local construction jobs were created from a
10-acre-wide site.

Figure B Estimated Savings over time in millions

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Educational Benefits:
The expansion of solar panels on campus can provide opportunities to take advantage of
renewable energies. The university can offer programs to train students on solar installation, as
Arizona Western College is currently doing by offering workforce training, occupational
certificates, and credits to an associates degree. Arizona Western has a curriculum in
development, including occupational certificates, workforce training, A.S. degree, and university
partnerships for articulated Bachelor and Masters degrees. (Arizona Western). Texas A&M Central Texas, through its Center for Solar Energy (CSE), is also implementing new curriculum
to further research and education. Solar development will be a crucial component, as the CSE
will function as an incubator for solar entrepreneurs, aiming to shorten the prototype-tomarketplace cycle from 6-10 years to less than 2 (Marcacci). The University of Texas at Dallas
currently has a Renewable Energy and Vehicular Technology Lab in the Erik Johnson School of
Engineering. The school can incorporate solar energy curriculum and encourage student research
into photovoltaic technologies. This will allow students to conduct their own research and
develop solar panels specifically designed for the campus, enabling the school to reduce its
dependence on nonrenewable sources of energy. The University of Texas at Dallas can strive to
be a significant contributor to solar energy research and development.
Environmental Benefits:
As one of the most developed renewable energy types, solar panels are very
environmentally-friendly. At Cornell Snyder Road Solar Farm, which is a solar energy facility of
Cornell University, with 6,778 solar panels installed in 10 acres help Cornell lower 650 tons of
GHG emission annually (Solar Power). This amount is as same as the annual energy use of 320
homes. As we calculated the environmental benefits, University of Texas at Dallas produces
about 639,214 metric tons of greenhouse gases annually. With 33,000 solar panels on the
campus, the University of Texas at Dallas can annually reduce 14,432 metric tons of GHG
emissions. This is about 2.26% of the annual emission. It is also equivalent of 1,317 household's
annual energy use.

Figure C Equivalent of UTDs estimated GHG emission reduction

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Schedule:
Site Audit

9/2015

System Design

9/2015

Negotiate Project Agreement

10/2015

Interconnection Application Filed

10/2015

Permit Applications Filed

11/2015

Permits Awarded

2/2016

Interconnection Agreement Signed

2/2016

Construction Begins

3/2016

Construction Completed

9/2016

Final Inspection and Project Commissioning

9/2016

Figure D Project schedules

Step 1: Project Planning
Project starts with a plan, day-by-day, and week-by-week. This plan takes into account
operational schedule, material lead-times, engineering, permitting, construction crew scheduling,
and utility interconnection requirements.
Step 2: Securing Permits
This typically has the longest lead-time, so it's critical that it gets early attention. Proper research
and outreach can expedite the negotiation and completion of permits
Step 3: Schedule Review
Operations and facilities staff will review the schedule and any concerns will be addressed.
Minimizing disruption to operations will be a big priority. Construction crew schedule will be
assured to be productive while being minimally disruptive.
Step 4: Construction
Licensed, bonded, and insured contractors that know how to run PV installation projects will be
paramount to success. Progress updates will be provided of potential conflicts, and
communication will be maintained with scheduled reports.
Step 5: Municipality Sign-Off
After construction is completed, governing municipality will inspect the system. Additional work
may be required and if so it will be completed to the inspectors' satisfactions.
Step 6: Ongoing Performance Monitoring and Maintenance
The system will be monitored carefully during the first month to ensure proper and efficient
operation. Maintenance of the system will be of priority and will be provided by SolarCity.
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Organizational Chart:

There will be a total of 200 people that make up the organization while operating on this
project. A large portion of our team is allocated to project operations. The president will be in
charge of major project decisions and will be responsible for the company operations. The
accounting director will be in charge of the accounting associates who will be responsible for
company finances and pay activities. They will also oversee the firms cash flow and liabilities.
The public relations director and his associates will be in charge of getting information to the
public to try and minimize any issues that may arise from construction work. Maintaining the
safety of employees and civilians is of high priority to the company. The human resources
department will recruit and hire the needed personnel to complete the project. Human Resources
Associates will also handle employee relations and address any employee concerns. The director
of operations will have to convey work schedules and other necessary information to the
mechanical, construction, and electrical crews.

Figure E Organizational Structure Chart

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Figure F Budget table

Budget:

The budget for the Solar Squad consist of two categories: materials and labor. The
materials section is divided into 4 items: Photovoltaics (PV) modules, Metal structures,
Machinery, and Batteries. All of these components will add up and consume 72.5% of the
budget. Labor is divided into 8 items which are: Management, Panel installation, Construction,
Design, Electrical, Mechanical, Maintenance, and Miscellaneous. These items will take 27.5% of
the budget.
For the Photovoltaics (PV) modules, we are getting a special discount from SPS Solar
Panel Store. The unit price for one module is $204.55. So, the cost for 33,000 panels is
$6,750,000. The project is going to use SUN XTENDER BATTERIES 12V with a price per unit
of $100. With 33,000 panels, the total cost of batteries is $3,300,000. The metal structures that
we are using are sold by Metric Ton. These resources are going to be imported from China and
will incur a total cost of $2,250,000 for 3,462 metric tons. The total estimated expenses for this
project is approximately $20,000,000.

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Conclusion:

In summary, this project will create a lasting impact on the University of Texas at Dallas
by increasing its energy sustainability. The environmental impact the solar panels will have will
reduce the GHG emission by 2.25 percent annually. The campus will become more energy
efficient and the expenditures on electricity will decrease significantly.
The proposed project is an environmentally friendly alternative to the natural energy
sources the university uses now. Our proposal is a flexible model that can be altered and can be
expanded upon in the future if the university wants to further develop its renewable energy
sustainability. This proposition is a big step in the right direction in getting the university to alter
the way energy is consumed and reduce the carbon footprint this institution is leaving.
Additionally, this proposal offers the potential for academic growth in the form of more
specialized courses in renewable energy. This addition could increase student enrollment if the
university were to make a curriculum for students that focuses on an energy industry that is
expected to expand in the coming years. Introducing new courses that allow students to focus on
this industry would give the University of Texas at Dallas a recruiting advantage over many other
institutions. This university could be a significant proponent to the advancement of photovoltaic
technology by contributing innovation through research and development.
Finally, the partnership we have entered into with SolarCity allows the company to
further increase the relationship with the city of Dallas. SolarCity provides this project with the
valuable expertise needed to ensure success. The company has systems and methods that have
been successful in similar projects. This is critical to increasing the efficiency of the project.

Figure G Projected solar panel structure on rooftop

(Retrieved July 29, 2015 from http://news.fullerton.edu/2012fa/images/Solar-Rooftop-hr.jpg)
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Ayre, James. (September 29, 2014). Solar To Be Primary Energy Source By 2050? IEA Says Yes.
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http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/initiatives/solar-power

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