Media Advisory: Children to Learn about Renewable Energy and Art at UB's Solar Strand

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- About 15 children will learn about renewable energy, art and sustainability at the University at Buffalo's Solar Strand from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.

The children, from the UB's Child Care Center, will take part in activities, such as a scavenger hunt and baking cookies in a solar oven. Note to media: UB has secured parental permission to take video and/or pictures of the children.

A partnership with the New York Power Authority, the Solar Strand is a 3,200-panel photovoltaic array at the Flint Road entrance to UB's North Campus. At 750 kilowatts, it generates enough clean, renewable electricity to power hundreds of student apartments.

Since UB flipped the switch in April, the array has generated 325,000 kilowatt hours of electricity. That's enough power to match the annual demand of 40 households. It also equals saving hundreds of tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.

As the children's presence suggests, the array is also an outdoor classroom. UB expects to hold additional classes there after construction crews put final touches on the site, such as laying concrete slabs and other user-friendly features.

On-site media contact: Ryan McPherson, UB's chief sustainability officer, 716-861-0128.

The Solar Strand demonstrates UB's commitment to sustainability, climate neutrality, and environmental stewardship under the UB 2020 strategic plan and Building UB: The Comprehensive Physical Plan. This plan guides development of facilities to support the growth of research in the university's strategic strengths and to improve the student experience in classrooms, labs, libraries, dining halls, dormitories and recreational facilities and will make UB campuses great places that people can truly enjoy and appreciate.

For more information about the Solar Strand, visit http://www.buffalo.edu/sustainability>.