The Mary S. Biesecker Library implemented a comprehensive, five-year facility update from 2018 to 2022. As part of this process, we partnered with Envinity to install electricity-generating solar canopies that cover our parking lot. The panel array is designed to generate the library’s entire electricity consumption for at least the next 30 years with a surplus that will be sold back to the grid.
By switching to solar, we’ve eliminated the library’s annual electricity costs through self-generated power, saving the library ~$4,000 a year (in 2023 dollars) while also providing us with an efficient, environmentally-friendly electricity source.
How much electricity has the library saved since installing the panels? The embedded data chart below tracks in real time how much electricity we are currently generating (and how much we’ve saved) since switching to solar!
We’ve also installed Level 2 Electric Vehicle chargers operated by Blink in our parking lot. With more people switching to electric vehicles, these chargers offer a convenient and affordable option for anyone who needs to charge their vehicle. These stations will charge any vehicle at a rate up to 16 kW, although they may require an adapter and charge slower depending on the vehicle’s Level 2 charging specifications.
There are two ways to use and pay for the chargers (current rate posted on the charger screen):
1. Call Blink’s automated help line at 1-800-663-5633. Make payment via credit or debit card by following the prompts.
2. Download the Blink Charging app. Create an online account with Blink or use the app as a guest. When using the app, search for the library’s address (230 S Rosina Avenue, Somerset, PA 15501), then select the charging station by confirming the serial number:
East Charger Serial Number: BAE700586
West Charger Serial Number: BAE700596
Please feel free to check out our outdoor shade garden (consisting of native pollinator plants) in the parking lot, the outdoor reading area (with commemorative bricks) outside our Church Street entrance, or come into the library to relax, explore our collection and sign up for a library card while charging.