Harvard Art will be going solar this spring with the installation of a 6 kWh Photovoltaic Solar System. Thanks to the team at Cotuit Solar LLC, Harvard Art has received three grants that have almost fully funded the studio’s sustainability efforts: a Rural Energy for America Program/Renewable Energy Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture; a Massachusetts Technology Collaborative Grant; and a Department of Treasury Renewable Energy Grant.
Good light is essential to the work that happens at the Harvard Art studio, so we use numerous daylight-corrected fluorescent bulbs to create broad and even lighting conditions. While these lights help to deter shadows and reflections that hinder the process of conserving and restoring gilded objects, they also consume a fair amount of electricity. When the 29 solar panels are installed in the spring of 2010, this renewable energy source will ensure that our lights are not only good for our work, but also for the planet.