New solar panels installed on a building at Westminster College will help to turn Utah's hot sun into free and clean electricity to power the campus.

The private liberal arts college is the first college in Utah to meet part of its electricity needs by using solar power. Sun energy is now being collected by a series of 42 solar panels on the roof of the Dolores Dore Eccles Health, Wellness and Athletic Center.

"As educators, I believe it is important for us to be stewards of our environment and to model the behaviors we are encouraging in our students," said Westminster President Michael S. Bassis. "The installation of these solar panels is the latest example of our commitment to reduce the impact we have on our environment."

The 8-kilowatt photovoltaic system will produce enough electricity to power the equivalent of almost three typical Utah homes. By using pollution-free solar power instead of coal-generated electricity, the system will keep about 14.7 tons of carbon dioxide out of the air each year, which is the same as knocking about three cars off the road every year.

A $100,000 grant from Rocky Mountain Power's Blue Sky renewable energy program made it possible for Westminster to install the panels. Other small-scale, community-based energy conservation programs have also been funded by the electricity conglomerate, including Entheos Academy, a Kearns charter school, which received a similar grant last year. Cities such as Moab and Park City have also applied for an earned funding toward various energy projects.

"People are aware of the need for additional renewable energy developments," said Rocky Mountain spokesman Jeff Hymas. "It offsets the impact other forms of electrical generation have on the environment."

Hymas said the projects put alternative electricity options in the public eye, making them more accessible and understandable.

"It serves as an educational tool to show students and the general public that solar and wind energy technology options are advancing and can be used today," he said. He said such options are not the sole answer to America's energy crisis but a part of the solution.

Ever since last spring, when Bassis signed a climate commitment with other university and college presidents, Westminster has been finding ways to "eliminate or offset all campus greenhouse gas emissions," as the challenge states. The school has issued a similar challenge to faculty, staff and students, making them more aware of the energy they use. Everyone was invited to participate in the Blue Sky program, which invests in renewable energy resources, offsetting the costs of electricity for all Rocky Mountain and PacifiCorp Power customers.

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