Hollinger actually got his job before he graduated, moving to the Washington D.C. area in the summer of 2014. He finished his last class (calculus) online while beginning a research assistant position at . Hollinger now works exclusively with data analysis and power sector modeling for the .

But he’s is still enjoying other long-term benefits of his internship: the research he contributed to was recently published by his mentor and collaborator, business professor , in the , the magazine of the .

The economic benefits of solar panels

Hollinger interned in the spring and summer of 2014 at which installed the solar panels on 91短视频鈥檚 Hartzler Library. Smith, who owns the Staunton-based company, suggested Hollinger investigate if 91短视频鈥檚 solar photovoltaic (PV) project provided any economic benefits to other ratepayers within the Harrisonburg territory.

Opponents say solar hurts local ratepayers by raising the stranded electricity generation costs for non-solar customers. Proponents say the opposite is true, that when solar is in use, energy costs go down and other economic and health benefits accrue for all ratepayers within a given area.

鈥淭ony had this idea that since his company had data from 91短视频, we might be able to work with the Harrisonburg Electric Commission to actually test this claim and see if it is true,鈥� Hollinger said. 鈥淲e found that within this scenario, distributed solar is a benefit, not a big one, but not a negative impact either.鈥�

Hollinger cautioned that the analysis was for a very specific location with a non-generating utility company and that findings might be different in different scenarios.

Internship helps determine career path

By the end of his internship, Hollinger knew he wanted to work in environmental policy, or renewable energy research and data, so he began applying to jobs that seemed to fit those requirements. The ICF International job was 鈥渃ompletely random, just something I stumbled onto online and applied for.鈥�

Within a month of applying, the company hired him. Hollinger thinks his experience at Secure Futures paved the way there. Smith agrees that Hollinger鈥檚 experience at Secure Futures may have proven to be a differentiating factor.

Hollinger 鈥渄eveloped a lot of high value expertise very quickly about the economics of renewable energy and he was able to translate that into a positive result for himself,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淎nd he is overall a very sharp guy. He deserves his own credit for that.鈥�

Hollinger is now part of a six-member team that helps 鈥渢he EPA model their environmental regulations as related to the US power sector,鈥� he said. When the EPA is considering a new regulation, policymakers need to know what kind of an impact it could have both on the environment and the national economy. So Hollinger and his team use ICF International鈥檚 Integrated Planning Model along with EPA-directed scenarios, to help representatives determine what regulations would work best if passed. On the team, Hollinger works with data analysis and manipulation.

One example of a project he has worked on is modeling the effects of a proposed piece of EPA legislation called The Clean Power Plan. The plan would establish carbon pollution standards for existing power plants. Hollinger鈥檚 team has been running scenarios for the EPA and producing data that shows 鈥渋f these are the standards you wish to set, then this will be the cost, this will be the impact.鈥�

Hollinger said his close relationship with Smith and other professors helped guide him onto his current career path. 鈥淚 was one of the first people to major in and economics,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 immediately sure how those two fit together, but through conversations with professors and classes that taught me to be a critical thinker, I began to figure it out.鈥�

For professionals already in business or leadership roles, the graduate certificate is an intermediate step between a bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degree in the field. The coursework can be applied towards an or an .

91短视频鈥檚 graduate business coursework emphasizes 鈥渁pplied leadership for the common good,鈥� says community justice advocate and educator Andrew Nussbaum, MA `15 (), who took several of the core courses while earning a graduate certificate in nonprofit leadership. 鈥淚 have been able to apply my learning in both a local and global context with new skills, new colleagues and new understanding.”

91短视频鈥檚 faculty members, all holding doctorates in their field, bring a variety of expertise and foundational knowledge gained through domestic and international business and non-profit experiences.

Graduate Certificate in Business Administration

The 15-unit , which can be completed in less than a year, provides foundational skills and tools necessary to lead effectively in business, public agencies or nonprofit entities.

鈥淥rganizational leaders have both an opportunity and a responsibility to facilitate a turn toward solving many of the complex problems we encounter in the world today,鈥� says . 鈥淭his certificate offers leaders the foundational knowledge and contemporary data to recognize the need for change, and the philosophy and tools to lead a stakeholder-inspired process toward more sustainable and just outcomes.鈥�

Required courses address such topics as business ethics and policy, organizational behavior, and finance and accounting. Students are allowed a maximum of two elective courses, one of which can substitute for a course on comparative perspectives on business and society. Electives from the MBA program of study are offered in technology, information and data analysis; marketing management; human resources; entrepreneurship; and project management and grant writing.

Graduate Certificate in Organizational Leadership

The can be completed in 18 months. The 17-unit program focuses on developing and broadening leadership skills through the study of organizational behavior and change, teambuilding, mentoring, and conflict transformation techniques. Students are encouraged to reflect on current and past practices, through readings, writings, and the completion of individual and team projects.

Students interested in this program may already have an MBA or other business skills, but desire to improve their management and leadership abilities.

鈥淢ost managers in organizations have learned how to manage people, money, and programs. What they usually lack, however, are the skills to lead sustainable change in their departments or organizations,鈥� said professor , a specialist in organizational leadership who has trained or consulted with over 100 organizations, including in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe. 鈥淭his certificate equips participants to both understand the systems they lead and the tools to effectively lead and change them.鈥�

Coursework includes 鈥淟eadership and Management for the Common Good,鈥� which highlights ecological, social, and economic stressors of organizations at local and global levels, and approaches to leading people, systems, and organizations in positive ways. Other classes focus on organizational behavior; leadership theory and style; effecting and leading change within organizations; and developing healthy organizations through team building and collaboration. A 2-unit mentorship program is also required.

Faculty with a wealth of expertise and experience

91短视频鈥檚 faculty members include current and former business owners, as well as non-profit and NGO professionals.

鈥檚 professional experience in business, including 12 years with an NGO in Kenya, lend perspective to his analysis of the role and impact of business and organizations within ecological limits and dynamic social systems, resulting in an integrated lens of sustainability, stewardship and justice. Leaman has a master鈥檚 in public administration and a PhD in public and international affairs.

served with several community development and conflict transformation organizations, including five years as executive director of a community development organization in southern Arizona. He has an MBA and a PhD in sociology, with a specialization in religious and organizational conflicts.

holds a doctorate in sociology. She lived and worked in South Africa for 16 years and the Middle East for 17 years. She was an organizational development consultant (with NGOs and blue chip companies undergoing post-Apartheid workplace diversity shifts), and has also worked in the domestic and gender-based violence field, and as a community development specialist.

brings significant international experience and a background in commercial banking and microfinance to courses in business ethics and policy, at the level of the employee, the firm, and the macro economy. Cowles has a master鈥檚 of theological studies, an MBA and a PhD in the social foundations of education.

specializes in development and international economics. He has a master鈥檚 in agricultural economics and a PhD in economics. His research topics have included the fair trade coffee market, mosquito net delivery systems, sustainability and effectiveness of microfinance programs, and issues surrounding financial crises.

has founded, co-founded and/or directed numerous small businesses and nonprofit organizations in community economic development, sustainable agriculture, energy management, and commodity futures trading in energy. Smith has a master鈥檚 of architecture and a PhD in social systems sciences. He is founder-CEO of , a solar development company that developed the .

, a certified public accountant, specializes in financial accounting reporting issues. He has three graduate degrees: an MBA, a master鈥檚 in accounting, and a PhD in accounting. His work experience includes the controllership of a large farm equipment company in southeastern Pennsylvania and summer projects with a local construction contractor, tire retreader, and an aviation company.

The new installation, expected to be in operation by the summer of 2015, will be able to generate 511 kilowatts of electricity (as measured in 鈥渄irect-current鈥� or DC power). The panels will be mounted on canopies above the University Commons parking lot and on that building鈥檚 roof. Along with the original library array, the new installation should allow 91短视频 to produce up to 14 percent of its annual electric demand from solar energy.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 a huge percentage,鈥� said Drew Gallagher, Virginia campus organizer with the who attended a public meeting in early October announcing the new solar initiative. Afterwards, in an email to , Gallagher wrote of his plans to begin 鈥渟howcasing 91短视频鈥檚 efforts as your campus is on the cutting edge among Virginia colleges.鈥�

As was the case with the installation on the library roof, 91短视频 has entered an agreement with , a solar energy development company based in Staunton, Virginia, to install, operate and maintain the new array. Secure Futures president and CEO is also a professor at 91短视频鈥檚 .

The new solar project will proceed under a unique 鈥渃ustomer self-generation agreement鈥� between 91短视频 and Secure Futures. The arrangement, devised by Secure Futures to overcome various regulatory hurdles that have made Virginia a relatively difficult state for solar energy development, requires no capital investment from 91短视频 and will reduce the university鈥檚 electric bill from the very start.

91短视频 will achieve additional across-the-board operational savings with the help of a natural gas generator that will be installed at the same time as the solar panels. The generator will help the university lower its peak electric demand, a measurement of consumption used to set electric rates throughout the year. With the additional solar capacity and occasional help from the generator 鈥� primarily during the winter, when the solar panels produce less electricity 鈥� that lower peak demand will put 91短视频 on a cheaper rate scale with the , Smith said.

The solar panels and generator will also serve as a 鈥渘ano-grid,鈥� improving 91短视频鈥檚 emergency preparedness with the capacity to meet electricity demands in Northlawn鈥檚 dorm rooms and dining hall during a wider power outage, Smith added.

鈥淚t鈥檚 another step in a long history of 91短视频 paying attention to energy use,鈥� said Swartzendruber. 鈥�91短视频鈥檚 been leading efforts in going back to the 鈥�70s.鈥�

Swartzendruber, who serves on the board of the , has been an outspoken proponent for sustainability. He said the conviction is rooted in a moral obligation created by the disproportionate negative impact climate change will have on the needy.

At the public event announcing the new solar project, Swartzendruber was asked if he would encourage state leaders to enact regulations that would make it easier for more solar and other renewable energy development in Virginia.

鈥淚鈥檓 certainly willing to lend my voice where that seems appropriate,鈥� he said later, while adding he has no specific plans to do so at this point (he does, however, regularly interact with leaders in Richmond when he goes to lobby on behalf of state tuition assistance grants).

Gallagher, from the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, said he was 鈥渞eally excited how strong of a stance [Swartzendruber] appeared to be willing to make on the issue of climate change.鈥�

鈥淵ou could tell that it was more than just an issue that they were working on just because it鈥檚 hot right now, or something that people would want to see [a university] doing,鈥� Gallagher continued. 鈥淚 work with campuses all over the state鈥� Now when I go to new schools and help them install solar panels, I鈥檓 going to point to 91短视频 and say, 鈥楲ook at all the success they鈥檝e had.鈥� 鈥� I think it鈥檚 great what they鈥檙e doing, and it鈥檚 really exciting to see them pushing the boundaries and setting the bar high.鈥�

Sen. Emmett Hanger, R-Mount Solon, was awarded a Legislative Leadership Award by the environmental group on Monday at 91短视频.

The award, along with a book of nature photographs, was presented for Hanger’s work on Senate Bill 418, which “eradicate[d] a major tax barrier to solar energy,” according to the group’s announcement.

The bill extended tax exemptions to solar panels so that the equipment cannot be taxed by local governments as “machinery and tools.”

Solar energy equipment is now classified as “pollution control equipment” and exempt from local taxation. The bill was signed into law in March.

Republicans and environmental groups often butt heads over issues ranging from land conservation to funding for alternative sources of energy.

Hanger was honored on the balcony of 91短视频’s Campus Center building, overlooking the . The panels, installed in 2010, are operated by Staunton-based solar development company .

, founder of Secure Futures and professor of at 91短视频, said Monday night that solar power is the “fastest-growing industry in the United States.”

Smith said Hanger’s legislation will help support that growth.

“It’s important to align yourself with a very seasoned and very professional legislator … who can work on both sides of the aisle,” Smith said.

On receiving his award 鈥� made out of recycled glass 鈥� Hanger said human beings could be resistant to change, but need to be able to adapt.

Hanger noted the importance of coal to Virginia’s history, but said the state has survived similar changes in the past.

“There was life after tobacco,” he said, referring to a former top industry that has declined.

Several of the Sierra Club’s members thanked Hanger for his work and remarked on his “courage” in working with them.

The Sierra Club claims to be the “nation’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization.”

During the 2012 election cycle, the Sierra Club political action committee contributed more than $456,000 to congressional candidates nationwide 鈥� 99 percent of which went to Democratic candidates, according to the campaign finance tracking website OpenSecrets.org.

The remaining 1 percent went to independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who has described himself as a “democratic socialist.”

In 2013, the state chapter of the Sierra Club spent more than $468,000 in support of Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s successful gubernatorial campaign, according to the , which tracks campaign funds for state elections.

Waving off concerns that some in his party might be upset with him working with the environmental group, Hanger said that the bill removes an impediment to business.

“I see it as leveling the playing field,” he said.

In addition to Hanger, eight other Legislative Leadership awards were given out this year by the Virginia chapter of the Sierra Club: four to Republicans and four to Democrats, according to an April press release from the group.

Courtesy of the Daily News Record, July 21, 2014.

91短视频 was recognized for its solar array on the roof of the . At the time of installation in fall 2010, it was the largest array in the state of Virginia. It has exceeded its performance goals for the period of January through June 2012 by 118 percent and is the first in Virginia to exceed 100 kilowatts in capacity, in fall 2012.

The array provides about 2.5 percent of the energy the Harrisonburg campus and its approximately 1,500 students consume.

The 126,000 kilowatt-hours the system produces is equivalent to 1.26 million 100-watt light bulbs burning for one hour, according to , an assistant professor of at 91短视频 and CEO of the company that owns the solar array, , in a story published by the Daily News Record on Sept. 6, 2012.

The Shenandoah Valley Technology Council is a nonprofit membership organization serving the greater Shenandoah Valley of Virginia by helping technology businesses in the area succeed and grow. They host Tech Nite once a year to highlight the successes of technology firms, organizations and programs in the region and the entrepreneurs, innovators, leaders and educators behind those successes, according to its website.

But 91短视频 has tilled its soil for a flourishing 鈥渆dible campus鈥� in the spring.

Springtime visitors can expect to stroll by asparagus hedges on their way to the tennis courts. They鈥檒l circumvent the compost pile and chicken house-on-wheels by the soccer field. And they鈥檒l need to avoid disturbing the four beehives near a popular hilltop meeting room.

Situated on the western edge of the small city of Harrisonburg, Va. 鈥� often overshadowed by nearby James Madison University with 10 times the student population 鈥� 91短视频 is gradually gaining a small measure of fame for its devotion to what it calls 鈥渃reation care.鈥�

鈥淐aring for God鈥檚 creation鈥� started in 1976-77 at 91短视频 when a science professor opted to spend his sabbatical year studying the ways the college could cut fuel consumption. He succeeded. Among other steps, 91短视频 launched into energy-efficient construction, with new buildings heated and cooled by a unique closed-loop system in the 1980s. In the fall of 2010 91短视频 became the host of what was then the .

1,000 Edible Plants on 100 Acres

In 2011, by sprinkling 1,000 food-producing plants around the 100-acre campus.

鈥淭his started because students saw 鈥楩ood Inc.鈥� [a 2008 documentary, critiquing agribusiness] and began knocking on my door saying, 鈥楬ey, we want to grow food on campus,鈥欌�� said , grounds supervisor at 91短视频.

The students found receptive ears 鈥� Hairston has a degree in horticulture from Virginia Tech. Yet, in his 20 years at 91短视频, Hairston had mainly focused on planting ornamentals, believing their beauty to be 鈥渇ood for the soul.鈥�

Suddenly Hairston found himself running to keep 鈥渏ust a half step ahead of the students,鈥� who were pointing out the beauty of lettuce and acorn squash and persimmon trees.

Students, joined by a handful of faculty members, began raising vegetables in three large garden areas on campus. They now sell their produce, when in season, on Saturday mornings near the University Commons. They also give the campus community the option of harvesting their own produce, asking only that harvesters contribute back by weeding or otherwise helping out.

Apple and pear saplings now dot the western hill that backs 91短视频. 鈥淧runing the trees has been my baby,鈥� said senior Alyshia Zimmerman.

Seminary professor donated four bee hives and is mentoring聽 Tessa Gerberich, an undergraduate student, in bee care.

Zimmerman, who is plotting 91短视频鈥檚 edible plants on a master map, pointed to other locations of fruit-bearing trees on campus 颅鈥� fig, plum, persimmon, paw paw, and hazelnut trees can be found near sports fields. Alert campus strollers will spot grape vines and bushes bearing cornelian cherries and raspberries. 鈥淲e want to raise awareness to the availability and health benefits that these plants can provide,鈥� she said.

Resurrecting Farm Skills

Students walking to the quad of , with dual-flush, low-flow toilets, recycled bricks, solar panels that preheat water, and so forth聽 鈥� pass asparagus plants that look yummy but shouldn’t be harvested until year two or later.

In June 2012, began collecting the runoff from the buildings, roads and parking lots covering 15 acres at 91短视频. It is now used for watering the grass on four sports fields and other vegetation, including the edible landscaping.

Chickens lay eggs in enclosures behind the science building, not far from a compost heap where the leftovers from the main dining hall eventually turn into soil to nourish the campus vegetable and herb gardens. Much of the produce in these gardens returns to the serving lines of the dining room. The campus chef steps outside her industrial kitchen to pluck basil, cilantro, dill, oregano, parsley, rosemary, thyme and sage.

鈥淎ctually being 鈥榞reen鈥� and living in environmentally sustainable ways feels to many of us like returning to the frugality and healthy farming practices of our forebears,鈥� says , who was raised in the Mennonite-thick farm community of Kalona, Iowa.

Long-Term Benefits

In September 2012, Swartzendruber began a three-year term on the board of directors of the , whose mission is 鈥渢o equip, inspire, disciple and mobilize God鈥檚 people in their effort to care for God鈥檚 creation.鈥�

This is a group that does not question the view of the majority of the world鈥檚 scientists that climate change is occurring and that, left unchecked, will have serious consequences for all forms of life as we know it.

鈥淏y tradition and current practice, 91短视频 aims to make decisions that are right in the long term,鈥� says Swartzendruber. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 always see the immediate pay-offs, but we feel we are stewards of the environment in which we all live. The benefits of making the right decisions may accrue to others, or to our descendants, but they are benefits nonetheless.鈥�

“The cistern at 91短视频, for instance, may reduce the amount 91短视频 pays for using city聽water by up to $4,000 annually. But considering that the cost of the project is聽nearly $100,000 (with about half the cost covered by a grant from the National Fish聽and Wildlife Federation’s Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund), 91短视频 didn’t build the聽cistern to save money in the short term.”

It was built it in part to enhance the health of the trees and stream in a small park owned by the university. The stream connects with waterways that flow into the Chesapeake Bay. So protecting the feeder stream ultimately contributes to the health of the Bay.

So If You Visit . . .

Back to being a campus visitor. . . Here鈥檚 a hint at the subtle differences you might notice. Let鈥檚 just say a rickshaw driver from India would look at home on this campus 鈥� not too different from the 91短视频 employee with muscular calves pedaling a bike hitched to a long cart bearing storage containers. This is the way the recycling bins around campus are serviced. No fossil fuels.

No, no, these Mennonites do not drive horse-drawn buggies. They are modern Mennonites. In fact, half of the campus community isn鈥檛 Mennonite at all. But everyone here tends to walk a lot and ride bikes 鈥� not because they don鈥檛 have drivers鈥� licenses, but because they believe it is good for the environment and their personal health. 颅_颅颅

As an example, the undergraduate academic dean 颅颅鈥� who has close-cropped hair and often wears slacks 鈥� hasn鈥檛 driven the one-and-a-half miles from her home to campus in four years. She walks, bikes, or takes public transportation.

Sure, if you look closely, you can find a woman who sticks to below-the-knee skirts and who wears a prayer cover on her hair. But look more closely, and you鈥檒l see that this woman is the 76-year-old historical librarian who logged nearly 400 miles on her recreational bike between May and September. And who loves to backpack in .

This campus community doesn鈥檛 lend itself to stereotypes. But it does lend itself to great eating.

During the first six months of 2012, the 126,000-kilowatt-hour system performed 18 percent over target, meaning it actually brought in closer to 150,000 kilowatt-hours of energy, according to officials.

The system, located atop the , provides about 2.5 percent of the energy the Harrisonburg campus and its approximately 1,500 students consume.

The 126,000 kilowatt-hours the system produces is equivalent to 1.26 million 100-watt light bulbs burning for one hour, said , an assistant professor of at 91短视频 and CEO of the company that owns the solar array, .

But, since being installed in November 2010, the nearly $1 million system has consistently overshot its 126,000-kilowatt-hour annual target, meaning the university will help Secure Futures pay off its purchase of the system more quickly.

鈥淲e鈥檝e been pleasantly surprised how much better than expected the system has done,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淭his is because we鈥檝e been blessed with much more sunshine this year. Harrisonburg tends to be a drier area than other parts of the state.鈥�

91短视频 was able to install the system on campus as part of a 20-year power-performance contract with Secure Futures, a Staunton-based solar energy development company. The company owns and operates the system and 91短视频 pays the company for the energy produced at a price equivalent to the rate the university pays its traditional energy provider, .

According to , vice president for finance at 91短视频, the university spent about $460,000 on energy during the fiscal year that ended June 30, about $18,400 of which went toward solar energy.

91短视频 paid in advance for 10 years of the guaranteed output of the system. The university will pay for additional kilowatt hours produced by the system; if the system underperforms, Secure Futures pays 91短视频 for the difference between what had been projected and what鈥檚 actually produced.

The partnership is beneficial to 91短视频, Smith said, because it helps the university increase campus sustainability efforts. Secure Futures will make money from the partnership after the initial setup costs are paid off in 10 to 12 years.

Because 91短视频 is locked in at a certain kilowatt-hour rate with Secure Futures, a cost savings can be realized if utility rates climb in the future.

鈥淲e expect that the utility rates will increase at a more rapid rate than what we鈥檙e selling power to the university,鈥� said Smith, who declined to provide the agreed rate between Secure Futures and 91短视频, saying it is a confidential contract.

The opposite statement could also be true, however, if utility rates dropped.

For 2011-12, based on 91短视频鈥檚 5.7 million kilowatt- hours used and total energy costs, the university paid approximately 7.9 cents per kilowatt-hour for the campus鈥� energy.

Although the university would be relieved from regular utility rate increases, the contract between 91短视频 and Secure Futures does have an 鈥渆scalator clause,鈥� meaning the rate charged will increase at a predetermined rate.

That clause is typical of power-purchase agreements, Smith said.

Installing the system, which was the largest in Virginia when it debuted in 2010, was a forward step for 91短视频, Smith says, in a state not known for having the most solar-friendly policies.

鈥淚f we weren鈥檛 working with an institution who wanted to be a leader in energy efficiency, it would have been a much more difficult sell,鈥� he said.

The city also has taken steps to encourage more solar energy projects. In 2011, approved a 100 percent tax break for 20 years on tangible personal property related to the development of solar energy.

The exemption, retroactive to July 1, 2010, was designed to encourage more solar-energy development.

鈥淪tudents today are increasingly looking for colleges and universities that integrate sustainability into the way of doing things,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淸The solar array] helps make that sustainability leadership even more visible.鈥�

Courtesy Daily News Record, Sept. 6, 2012

In addition, the solar photovoltaic system has outperformed projections for the entire period since it began operation in November 2010. The university hosts the solar panels, which are owned and operated by Secure Futures, a solar energy development company based in Staunton, Va.

鈥淪olar energy operators project performance of a system based on how much sun they expect to shine on the geographical area where the system is installed,” said Anthony (Tony) Smith, CEO of Secure Futures and assistant professor of business at 91短视频.

A combination of a mild winter and particularly sunny weather in the Harrisonburg area from February through June contributed to high levels of solar irradiance. Higher than expected sunshine remains a key factor for the strong output of electric power from 91短视频’s on-campus solar array.

“Many people may not realize that solar irradiance actually varies from one year to the next, based on local weather. Given the amount of sun that the solar panels at Eastern Mennonite received during the first six months of 2012, the system performed significantly better than expected.”

The solar array on campus was the first in Virginia to exceed 100 kilowatts in capacity. Solar energy is a key component of the university’s program to save energy and promote sustainability.

91短视频 Secure Futures

Secure Futures L.L.C. offers clean and affordable solar energy generated on-site to colleges and universities, local governments and other institutions operating in the public interest.

Through service agreements, customers can reduce their electricity costs and protect themselves against future price increases from electric utilities without the high up-front cost of installing their own solar power equipment.聽 Secure Futures is based in Staunton, Va., and may be found online at .

Secure Futures guaranteed an annual output of 126,783 kilowatt hours of electricity from the solar photovoltaic array installed in November, 2010, on the roof of 91短视频’s Sadie Hartzler Library.聽 The solar panels achieved this milestone earlier this week, a full six weeks ahead of schedule, in time for the autumnal equinox

“The solar panels surpassed all our expectations,” said Loren Swartzendruber, president of 91短视频. “Not only have they delivered more renewable energy than we anticipated鈥攃utting the university’s power cost鈥攖he solar panels have also become a tangible symbol of our commitment to clean energy and a powerful educational tool to encourage our students to become environmental stewards.鈥�

Since beginning operation, the system has offset more than 105,000 pounds of carbon dioxide, equivalent to the carbon reduction of 85 mature white pine trees鈥攐r enough energy to brew 2.6 million cups of coffee.

The system consists of 328 high-efficiency photovoltaic panels manufactured by the SunPower Corporation.聽 Southern Energy Management installed the panels for Secure Futures. At capacity, the system can generate 104.3 kilowatts of electricity, making it the largest solar project in Virginia with enough power to supply two percent of 91短视频鈥檚 average annual energy demand.

鈥淭raditionally, cultures around the world have marked the end of summer with the autumnal equinox. This year, we are fortunate that we can follow their example with a modern twist, capping off the sunny season with a celebration of the exceptional power of solar energy in action,鈥� said Secure Futures CEO Dr. Tony Smith, who also co-directs 91短视频鈥檚 Steward-Leadership MBA Program.

91短视频 Secure Futures

Secure Futures L.L.C. offers clean and affordable solar energy generated on-site to colleges and universities, local governments and other institutions operating in the public interest. Through Solar Power Purchase Agreements (SPPAs), customers can reduce their electricity costs and protect themselves against future price increases from electric utilities without the high up-front cost of installing their own solar power equipment.聽 Secure Futures is based in Staunton, Va., and may be found online at www.securefutures.us.

The ordinance, passed by a four-to-one vote, exempts commercial solarpower equipment from the city’s machinery and tools tax while at the same time exempting residential solar systems from real estate taxes. Both exemptions last for a term of 20 years from the installation of any solar equipment.

鈥淗arrisonburg has indeed made a bold statement in support of solar power, helping to ensure that the leadership shown by the community in renewable energy can continue,鈥� said Anthony E. (Tony) Smith, CEO of Secure Futures, LLC, which operates Virginia’s largest solar energy facility, located in Harrisonburg. Dr. Smith is co-director of the masters in business administration (MBA) program at 91短视频.

In fall 2010, working with Southern Energy Management (SEM) of Morrisville, NC, Staunton-based Secure Futures installed 328 high-efficiency photovoltaic panels on the roof of 91短视频’s Hartzler Library. At 104 kilowatts, the system is the largest solar energy project built so far in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The new tax-exemption clears the way for Secure Futures and SEM to develop a second project at 91短视频 of an additional 300 kW of solar panels on raised canopies on the north parking lot of 91短视频’s University Commons.

鈥淭his ordinance could not have happened without the leadership from Council members who spoke in support, the commitment of 91短视频 President Loren Swartzendruber, facilitation from state Senator Mark Obenshain and support from the dozens of citizens who showed up last night,鈥� said Smith.

Leading up to Harrisonburg’s Council vote, weeks of discussions took place among Council members, city staff, officials of 91短视频 and Secure Futures, owners of residential solar power systems and concerned citizens leading to an idea for a partial or more limited tax exemption. The ordinance took final form only minutes before the City Council put the measure to a vote.

鈥淐ouncil’s decision to amend the ordinance to provide a 100% tax exemption for 20 years was the right way to reward the buyers of solar systems for doing the right thing for the environment, even when there’s an extremely long payback period,鈥� said Mitch King, board member of the Maryland-DC-Virginia Solar Energy Industries Association.

In less than six months of operation, 91短视频’s solar project has already brought benefits to the city.

• 91短视频’s project brought in substantial funding to the area from outside sources including federal and state grants as well as private investment.
• If solar power becomes more widespread in the City, this could translate into lower costs for ratepayers since solar peak production in the summer coincides with the peak demand costs for the Harrisonburg Electric Commission, the city’s municipal power utility.
• By reducing demand for utility power generated by coal and other fossil fuels, the 91短视频 solar project will eliminate more than 6,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions over the projected 35-year life of the solar panels.

Supporters say that the new ordinance will allow financial and environmental benefits to the city to increase in the future as 91短视频 and others install more solar power.

鈥淐lean energy represents yet another means for strengthening the local economy and to help create jobs,鈥� said Smith.

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91短视频 Secure Futures

Secure Futures, LLC designs, develops and co-finances distributed solar solutions with and for tax-exempt entities to reduce their electricity costs and to protect against future grid price increases through 15 to 25 year Solar Power Purchase Agreements (SPPAs). Secure Futures is based in Staunton, Va., and may be found on-line at

Installation of an array of solar panels began in mid October 2010. The completed 91短视频 solar project will be the largest photovoltaic (PV) deployment of any kind in Virginia.

The system, scheduled for completion in mid-November, 2010, will have the capacity to generate 104.3 kilowatts of electricity, making it the largest solar project in Virginia, with enough power to supply the total average annual electricity costs for nine homes in Harrisonburg.

Secure Futures continues to seek additional investors to help complete financing for a second solar array consisting of 300 kW of solar panels to be installed on raised solar canopies above the north parking lot of .

91短视频 President Loren Swartzendruber (l.) and Dr. Tony Smith, Secure Futures CEO and co- director of 91短视频’s MBA program, sign agreement documents for the solar energy project to move forward on campus. Projected completion for the initial phase is mid-November, 2010. Photo by Jim Bishop

91短视频 has entered into a 20-year power purchase agreement to buy the solar-generated electricity at a "grid-parity" price equivalent to the rate that 91短视频 pays for power from its current provider, the Harrisonburg Electric Commission.

"This solar project represents good stewardship of the university’s financial resources and the Earth’s natural resources," said 91短视频 President Loren Swartzendruber.

"It will also offer a highly visible case study for our students and our community about the pragmatic benefits of clean renewable energy," he added.

As part of the innovative business model, 91短视频 has agreed to pay in advance for 10 years of the guaranteed solar electricity output at the outset of the project, which reduces project financing costs. In return, Secure Futures will pass savings back to 91短视频 as an annual credit.

Largest solar power installation in state

When complete, the installation on the roof of 91短视频’s Hartzler Library of 328 high-efficiency photovoltaic panels manufactured by the SunPower Corporation will represent the largest deployment to date of solar power in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

According to the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy, the second largest solar project in the state is currently the 84 kW solar installation at the Merrifield Post Office in Northern Virginia.

Dr. Tony Smith, Secure Futures CEO and co- director of

"91短视频 is demonstrating that solar power represents a good financial and social investment – doing good and doing well," said Secure Futures CEO Anthony E. (Tony) Smith, who also co-directs 91短视频’s Stewardship MBA Program.

"This solar project will cut 91短视频’s usage and peak demand energy costs and thus reducing its reliance on power generated by coal and other fossil fuels. It will also eliminate more than 6,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions over the projected 35-year life of the solar panels," Dr. Smith added.

Officials across Virginia applaud agreement

"This is exactly the kind of project we want to encourage across the Commonwealth to move toward a sustainable energy future," said Ken Jurman, renewable energy manager for the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (DMME).

Using economic stimulus funds provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, DMME awarded an incentive grant for the project.

The entire system – solar panels, inverters, conduits and monitoring equipment – will be installed and maintained by Southern Energy Management. Based in Morrisville, N.C., SEM is one of the largest solar integrators in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, and has worked on other local solar projects in Virginia.

Community Bank, based in Staunton, is providing construction financing for the project. Secure Futures has formed a subsidiary company to be co-owned with investors from the Harrisonburg community and elsewhere, Community Solar, LLC, to develop and operate the project.

91短视频 Secure Futures

Secure Futures, LLC designs, develops and finances distributed solar solutions with and for tax-exempt entities to reduce their electricity costs and to protect against future grid price increases through 20 to 25 year Solar Power Purchase Agreements (SPPAs).

is based in Staunton, Va.

91短视频 Southern Energy Management

is a North Carolina-based sustainable energy company offering energy efficiency, green building and turn-key solar services for homeowners, builders, companies, government and military clients across the Southeast.

A certified B Corp, SEM’s mission is to have a measurable impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change, and to build a sustainable triple-bottom-line company.

The rezoning clears the way for 91短视频 with council, though they are still negotiating with the Harrisonburg Electric Commission about some technical aspects. The project is funded by a state grant and would ultimately provide up to one megawatt of power.

91短视频 President Loren Swartzendruber said that this project was exciting and consistent with 91短视频’s long-standing record toward sustainability on campus.

The project has been updated from the original scale. 91短视频 and Secure Futures LLC are now planning a 953 kW project (nearly 1 megaWatt), with projected savings to 91短视频 of $4 million over 25 years, offsetting about 20% percent of 91短视频’s electricity consumption.

The project will be installed on three sites: Hartzler Library roof, on the parking lot on the north side of University Commons, and to-be-developed green parking lot off Parkwood Road next to Eastern Mennonite School.

Learn more about the solar project

91短视频 will soon feature another shade of green on its campus: the site of Virginia’s first commercial-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) installation in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The new installation is part of a proposed revision to the campus master plan to allow for approximately 600 kilowatts of solar energy panels to be installed on the campus. The installation is expected to generate about 12 percent of 91短视频’s total electricity use and save the university an estimated $2 million in avoided electricity costs over the 25-year project.

91短视频 was one of the three national leaders in efficient energy use out of 90 colleges and universities surveyed by the Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers in 2007. 91短视频 sponsors numerous campus green initiatives , including an institutional commitment to sustainability.

Learn more at March meetings

The university will host an event for persons to learn more about the project at 7 p.m. Monday, Mar. 1, in the Strite Conference Room on first floor of the 91短视频 Campus Center.

The Harrisonburg City Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at 409 South Main Street at 7 p.m. Mar. 10 to review 91短视频’s proposed campus master plan submission to allow for the solar installation.

Under an innovative financing program that has been used extensively by universities in high solar states like California and Colorado, 91短视频 will effectively "host" the installation, paying only for the electricity generated by the panels installed on the campus through a 25-year power purchase agreement with Secure Futures, LLC, a private solar development company based in Staunton, Va.

"This will represent a signature project for 91短视频, as it embodies the stewardship values of our institution as well as building on our record as a leading green university," said 91短视频 President Loren Swartzendruber.

"The signature components of this project include using state-of-the-art solar technology, and, through Secure Futures’ unique financing model, supporting a three-tiered sustainability program including campus, curriculum and community sustainability," said Ron Piper, vice president for finance at 91短视频.

Staunton-based Secure Futures, LLC, obtained a grant commitment of $225,000 from the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (DMME) for the project. Tony Smith, CEO of Secure Futures, said "this project will represent a milestone for renewable energy in Virginia insofar as scale and impact. We’re excited to see a first example of a solar project achieving electricity rates comparable to those offered on the electric grid, especially since Virginia has among the lowest electricity rates in the country."

Ken Jurman, renewable energy manager for the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (DMME), noted that "The 91短视频 solar project as described fits well within the scope and intent of Virginia energy policy to encourage renewable energy resources. I’m very pleased that this initiative is moving ahead – it’s exactly the kind of thing we want to encourage across the Commonwealth to move toward a sustainable energy future."

91短视频 Secure Futures, LLC

Secure Futures designs, develops, finances and maintains turnkey distributed solar solutions in collaboration with tax-exempt entities to reduce their electricity costs and to create environmental and economic benefits for customers and their communities. Secure Futures is a solar development company based in Staunton, Va., and is a member of the MD-DC-VA Solar Energy Industries Association (MDV-SEIA). For more information see www.securefutures.us.

For more information on Secure Futures, LLC, contact Tony Smith, CEO, at 540-255-1404 or tony@securefutures.us