Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center is announcing the installation of new photovoltaic solar panels on the roof of their visitor center that will begin the last week of January. The goals of the project are to reduce the Center’s greenhouse gas impact and to promote the adoption of renewable energy technologies. The project also will place a monitor inside the visitor center building that will be connected to software to demonstrate to the public the workings of the system and the energy savings of the solar power capture. A portion of the project is funded by the Nebraska Environmental Trust.

“It has long been a goal of our Center, and National Audubon in general, to demonstrate our willingness to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions while saving energy and money at the same time,” said Meghan Sittler, Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center Director. “We are looking forward to providing information about solar energy and its many benefits with the public, and teaching the many schoolchildren who visit our Center each year about Audubon’s commitment to a sustainable energy future.”

The system at Spring Creek Prairie joins a similar solar project that was recently installed at Audubon’s sister nature center, the Iain Nicolson Audubon Center at Rowe Sanctuary near Gibbon. The visitor center at Rowe underwent a complete restoration and the solar panels were included as part of the renovation.