A new species of bacteria has been discovered living on solar panels atop the arnold arboretum at harvard university which is interesting unless it starts to eat the panels or do something like.
Arnold arboretum solar panels.
The harvard gazette reports a researcher has discovered a new bacterium on solar panels atop the arnold arboretum s hunnewell building.
May 8 2019 harvard s arnold arboretum is undertaking an ambitious sustainability initiative to install more than 1 000 solar panels near the weld hill research building which houses affiliated.
One such initiative is the arnold arboretum s installation of 1 000 plus solar panels.
In 2019 the arboretum broke ground on the weld hill solar project.
The arboretum will draw up to 30 percent of its energy needs for weld hill via 1 152 ground mounted solar panels and a 145 panel solar awning once the project is completed this fall while certainly the weld hill solar project marks the institution s most ambitious sustainability initiative to date it s not the first of its kind at the arnold arboretum.
Education at the weld hill research building.
Unique battery storage array to reduce peak demand on local electrical grid.
That combination may be tough to find in lush new england but is common on solar panels like those at the arboretum s hunnewell building where it was discovered.
A new species of bacteria one that makes its home on the relatively hot and dry surface of a solar panel was discovered recently at the arnold arboretum offering a lesson that nature s reach extends even to the artificial.
August 4 2020 never before seen bacterium found at arnold arboretum by alvin powell harvard university researchers kristie tanner foreground and olga mayoral collecting samples from the solar.
The weld hill solar project currently underway is the arnold arboretum s third and largest solar project and harvard s most ambitious sustainability initiative to date with nearly 1 300 solar panels powering a 45 000 square foot science laboratory and teaching facility in roslindale.
The new species is marked by the presence of colorful carotenoid pigments and an affinity for solar radiation high temperatures limited nutrients and desiccation.