Jody Kleinberg-Biehl

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"Two years, 2 percent"

Alumnus dies suddenly

Tuesday night, UB alumnus Thomas Leone tragically passed away in Niagara Falls, according to brothers of the Delta Sigma Pi co-ed business fraternity.

Solar energy coming to UB apartments

Residents in UB's apartment complexes will be hoping for some sunny days in the near future. On May 7, the New York Power Authority (NYPA) and the University at Buffalo unveiled what officials said would be the largest solar energy project in the state to date. At a news conference in the Center for Tomorrow on the North Campus, NYPA President Richard Kessel and UB President John B. Simpson announced a $7.5 million award to the university for the construction of a collection of solar panels in an attempt to encourage renewable energy technologies across New York State. The solar panels will produce 1.1 megawatts of solar energy for the campus and are set for installation near the beginning of the fall semester in 2010. 'It's part of an ongoing initiative to meet more of the university's energy needs through renewable sources,' Simpson said. The project, paid for by a NYPA grant, will cost nearly $7 million, while providing approximately 5,000 photovoltaic solar panels that will be installed on seven acres of North Campus. The panels will power 735 apartment complexes including UB's Flint, Hadley, South Lake and Creekside Village apartments. Nearly 2,000 undergraduate and graduate UB students will be utilizing the solar energy after it is installed. Simpson noted that this solar panel installation will give UB students the opportunity to have the exclusive experience of living in housing where their electricity is provided by the clean, renewable power of the sun, instead of burning fossil fuels. '[UB] takes great pleasure in accepting this exciting grant from the New York Power Authority,' Simpson said. 'By helping us generate our own power on campus, this solar array helps us take a significant step toward meeting one of the primary goals of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, in which the university has pledged to go climate neutral.' This will be the second array of solar panels installed on North Campus. UB completed a smaller project on the roof of Norton Hall in 2006, which provides roughly 6 percent of that building's power. According to the American Solar Energy Society, these solar panels will be the largest solar installation on any college or university campus in New York State. 'This partnership between NYPA and UB exemplifies how New York State is poised to become the leader in this new energy economy,' said Gov. David A. Paterson. As the UB/NYPA joint venture continues to merge with the university and as surrounding colleges start certifying personnel in the installation of solar panels, Western New York is gaining potential to become a new axis for green-collar jobs. 'NYPA is committed to investing in Western New York, and the University at Buffalo is the perfect partner for promoting, developing, educating and training in photovoltaic technologies for a cleaner environment, energy independence and green-collar jobs,' Kessel said. According to NYPA, the solar array on North Campus will reduce carbon emissions at UB by more than 500 metric tons per year. It is also specially designed to endure heavy snowfall and function in cold weather, providing a standard for future innovative solar technologies in similar climates. Records from the National Weather Service show that from May through November, Buffalo is the sunniest and driest city in the Northeast, challenging many negative perceptions about Buffalo's weather, and therefore making it a model contender for generating solar power. 'Climate change is one of the biggest problems facing the next generation and is of great concern to UB students,' said Emily Bauer, member of the UB Environmental Stewardship Committee and a delegate to the State University of New York Student Assembly. 'By stepping up as a leader in solar energy, UB has shown it is committed to a bright future for our environment.' E-mail: spectrum-news@buffalo.edu