The joint UNC-USFQ Galapagos Science Center located in San Cristobal, Galapagos, has installed a set of photovoltaic solar panels for electricity generation. These panels are being used to supply part of the electricity needs of the research center.
Due to the equatorial location, the panels are installed in a flat orientation on the roof of the center in order to optimize the power generation, as shown in the adjacent photograph.
Based on their initial operation, these panels are providing a significant fraction of the center’s power needs each day.
The photovoltaic panels join previously-installed passive solar water heating panels, located on the adjacent USFQ Galapagos Academic Institute for the Arts & Sciences (GAIAS) building. These passive solar panels provide hot water for the GSC and GAIAS facilities.