NASA-funded solar energy research at the College of Menominee Nation is generating useful information for home owners, businesses and organizations interested in renewable energy.
Lisa Bosman, the professor who wrote the successful grant request for the program, will present a public lecture on the research at 9 a.m. Sept. 15 in the CMN Trades Building on the Keshena campus, N172 State Highway 47/55.
“Shedding Light on Solar Energy System Performance and Valuation” will be followed by a brief walking-tour of research installations in the building.
Bosman said the research can aid a wide range of people, including home owners, real estate appraisers and sales companies, lending institutions, title companies and others.
The research will provide insights into the relative effectiveness of various types of installations given Midwest weather patterns and help determine long-term property valuation effects of solar paneling.
The three-year project, which involves other faculty and and a team of CMN students, is funded by a $413,000 Innovations in Climate Education grant from NASA. It expands on previous renewable energy efforts at the college funded by a Wisconsin Focus on Energy rebate program.
The college’s solar research facility has an array of 60 solar panels (16.1 kW) using both micro- and string-inverter technologies, a full weather station, and online monitoring for data collection.
CMN’s project includes an education component focused on advancing climate change literacy and preparing workers for renewable energy jobs. Along with NASA, the college is working in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, UW-Madison and the National Council for Science and Environment.
Bosman, who is a native of Gresham, holds a master’s degree from Clemson University and Bachelor of Science degree from UW-Milwaukee in industrial engineering. She earned her Ph.D. from UW-Milwaukee. In June, Bosman was awarded third place in a judged review of project posters at the doctoral colloquium of the Institute of Industrial Engineers’ annual conference in Montreal, Canada.
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