College students help to expand renewable energy efforts in their community

One professor and a group of students at the University of Toledo in Ohio are doing their part to make their community more environmentally friendly while also lending a hand to their neighbors.

They are part of a group that has been selected to participate in the Solar in Your Community Challenge, which aims to bring renewable energy to low and moderate income households.

The group, called Glass City Community Solar, has the potential to receive up to $60,000 in seed funds by the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative to contribute to this effort. They'll be competing along with 34 other teams to win a $1 million prize that'll be awarded based on the innovation, impact, and replicability of their work.

“It is extremely exciting for us to be able to have a hand in a project that has so much potential to benefit families by reducing electric bills, as well as educating the Toledo community about the use of renewable energy," said UT student Blaine Luszcak in a press release from the school.

Over the next 18 months, these students will work with the rest of their team to build solar power systems on rooftops, as well as in vacant lots, to help power communities in their area.

Not only will this help to make energy more affordable for their neighbors and decrease negative effects on our planet, but it will also hopefully encourage others in their community to take professional and academic interest in renewable energy.

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