Lindsay France/Cornell University
A new solar collector system installed atop Guterman Research Center uses innovative mirror technology to capture sunlight and turn it into thermal energy that will help heat the facility’s water distribution network. Sustainability efforts shine with new solar collectors
April 1, 2021
For proof that the pandemic has not stopped campus sustainability efforts, look no further than the rooftop of Guterman Research Center.
The center on Caldwell Road – which houses research and teaching labs, growth chambers, controlled atmosphere storage rooms and greenhouse facilities – has installed 50 new solar collector panels. The system uses an innovative mirror technology, as opposed to conventional photovoltaic cells, to capture sunlight and turn it into thermal energy that will help heat the facility’s water distribution network and reduce its reliance on campus steam.