Augustana College is starting the switch to solar power. By early next year, 8% of the campus's energy will come from solar panels.
Chief Financial Officer Kirk Anderson says the solar panels are part of a 25-year lease with Keystone Energy.
"We have an active community that wants to be sustainable for the future, and solar power is one of those options. And the second reason is it makes financial sense. So, you get into a situation were... something makes sense from a social perspective and from a financial perspective. It really becomes a winning combination."
The solar panels will be installed later this month on four of the college's buildings; the Carver PE Center, Centennial Hall, the PepsiCo Rec Center, and Westerlin Residence Hall. Keystone owns the solar panels and will be responsible for their maintenance.
Anderson says Augustana will consider solar power for any new construction projects.
