We are powered by solar energy

In 2017, T.B. Scott Free Library installed a 27.25 kilowatt solar power array expected to provide about 15 percent of the library’s annual electricity usage.

The project includes 79 solar collectors, made in the U.S. and featuring a 25-year warranty.  The solar array is located on the south and south-west sides of the roof of the library’s 2001 addition. Click here to track the solar project’s performance and the library’s overall energy usage in real-time, providing a valuable educational component.

The goal with this project was two-fold.  Not only will the solar array help us reduce our monthly consumption of power—it will also provide an outstanding educational opportunity for our schools and our community.

Based on average solar energy production for our area, the system is projected to generate about 30,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity each year.  Additional electricity will still be provided by Wisconsin Public Service.  With the combination of the array’s size and site limitations due to the historic aspect of the 1911 Carnegie library building, it is certain that the panels will not generate more energy than the library will use.

The system, which includes an inverter and power optimizers providing three-phase, 208-volt alternating current electricity, is expected to save the library significantly in energy costs over its 30-50 year lifetime.

The T.B. Scott Free Library solar project was funded entirely through outside sources.  Legacy Solar Co-Op Solar Bonds purchased by local residents, a generous donation by Church Mutual, and an allocation from the T.B. Scott Free Library Endowment Fund were combined to fully fund the project’s cost.  North Wind Renewable Energy Cooperative installed the solar power system.