Dr. Noll remarked on the rain falling and said of the solar canopy:

It’s multipurpose, it provides shade, it provides shelter, and it provides renewable energy, so that makes it really awesome.

He offered as story about events and world population at those times:

• 1 billion in 1783: the first hot air balloon in 1783 in Paris, France

• 2 billion in 1903: Orville and Wilbur Wright’s first flight

• 1969: Apollo 11 landed on the moon when Dr. Noll was 8 years old

• 1973: Oil crisis
• 4 billion in 1977: Jimmy Carter installed first solar panels on White House
• 1981: Ronald Reagan took down those solar panels

• 7 billion now: Accelerating climate change

He said we’re entering a second solar age, the first one being the fossilized solar power of fossil fuels. He mentioned the solar powered long flights of the Solar Impulse airplane as an example of hope, and an example of accelerating change.

Then you know what we are capable of, what we can do.

He concluded:

We’re all looking forward to working with Dr. McKinney on making this a green campus, making this a sustainable campus, working on energy efficiency, energy conservation, and most importantly working as a team, because that’s the only way it can ever get done.

Dr. Michael G. Noll spoke for Wiregrass Activists for Clean Energy (WACE) at the Solar Canopy Ceremony 15 November 2013.

Here’s the video:

Making this a green campus –Dr. Michael G. Noll
Installation of 15 kilowatts solar at Odum Library,
Solar Canopy Ceremony, Students Against Violating the Environment (SAVE),
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 15 November 2013.

-jsq

Short Link: