About - Renewable Energy Design (McLaughlin Natural Reserve)
Spring 2019 - ABT 212
The Donald and Sylvia McLaughlin Natural Reserve protects 7,000 acres of unusual habitats near Lower Lake, California. Though the reserve’s two main buildings experience only sporadic use, they are responsible for over $2,000 per month in electricity charges. The high rates experienced by the reserve coupled with large portions of open land available for development make on-site solar generation an attractive way to offset the reserve’s high electricity bill. This project compared between different photovoltaic designs to provide a final recommendation by considering layout, payback period, lifecycle carbon, lifecycle energy, and potential project funding methods.