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Museum of Nature & Science and Green Mountain Energy® Flip the Switch for New Backyard Solar Display
Museum of Nature & Science and Green Mountain Energy® Flip the Switch for New Backyard Solar Display
Four-Panel Solar Array and Interactive Kiosk are a First for a Dallas-area Museum
DALLAS, Texas — March 3, 2008 — Children visiting the Museum of Nature & Science can now learn about how solar energy works thanks to a new solar display donated by Green Mountain Energy Company and dedicated today as part of the renovated Children’s Museum at MNS. The installation is the first interactive solar display at a North Texas museum.
The Green Mountain Energy® Solar at the Museum of Nature & Science is part of the Explore Your Backyard gallery in the new 10,000-square-foot Children’s Museum at MNS. Museum officials, families, Green Mountain’s Super Earth mascot, along with other company officials, and donors were on hand to “flip the switch” and officially power the interactive display aimed at children up to age 7. The Explore Your Backyard gallery is one of five themed areas that invite children to explore their community, their neighbors, a farm and the natural environment around them.
The 640-watts solar array was built with four solar photovoltaic (PV) panels that are each 36 inches wide and 60 inches long. The solar array powers an indoor kiosk and demonstrates to children how solar panels convert the sun’s energy into electricity. The children then power several interactive items directly with solar energy.
“Green Mountain Energy Company is proud to partner with the Museum of Nature & Science to help expose and educate the tens of thousands of museum visitors about solar energy,” said Paul Markovich, senior vice president, Residential Services for Green Mountain Energy Company. "Building this solar facility supports our mission to change the way power is made. We are also excited about the opportunity to support the new Children’s Museum Explore Your World Gallery.”
Green Mountain created, donated and funded the museum’s new solar feature through its Big Texas Sun Club®, a program in which Green Mountain’s Texas customers can choose to support solar energy installations in Texas by paying an additional $5 on their monthly Green Mountain Energy® electric bill. To date, 11 solar projects have been built in Texas thanks to the Big Texas Sun Club. With this installation, Green Mountain’s Big Texas Sun Club is responsible for creating about 130 kilowatts (kW) of new solar energy capacity in Texas since 2002.
“This display introduces children to the concepts of energy and renewable energy at a very young age,” said Nicole Small, CEO of the Museum of Nature & Science. “It also raises the topics of conservation and preserving the earth. At the same time, it is fun and easy for young children to use. We are delighted by this generous contribution from Green Mountain Energy Company. It supports our mission of inspiring minds through nature and science.”
The solar display is part of a nearly $1 million renovation of the MNS campus at Fair Park in Dallas. These and many other galleries are open seven days a week. Visit www.natureandscience.org for more information and tickets.
Green Mountain is Texas’ only retail electric provider dedicated to cleaner electricity.
About Green Mountain Energy Company
Green Mountain, the nation’s leading provider of cleaner energy and carbon offset solutions, began in 1997 with a simple idea: “to change the way power is made.” The company offers consumers and businesses the choice of cleaner electricity products using renewable sources such as wind, water and solar that help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted into the air. Green Mountain customers have collectively helped avoid over 3.3 million tons of CO2 emissions.
About the Museum of Nature & Science
The Museum of Nature & Science, formerly the Dallas Museum of Natural History, The Science Place and the Dallas Children’s Museum, is a non-profit educational organization located in Dallas’ Fair Park. In support of its mission to inspire minds through nature and science, MNS delivers exciting, engaging and innovative visitor experiences through its education, exhibition and research and collections programming for students, teachers, families and life-long learners. The MNS campus includes the TI Founders IMAX® Theater and a cutting-edge digital planetarium. The museum is supported in part by funds from the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs, the Texas Commission on the Arts and EDS. To learn more visit www.natureandscience.org.
DALLAS, Texas — March 3, 2008 — Children visiting the Museum of Nature & Science can now learn about how solar energy works thanks to a new solar display donated by Green Mountain Energy Company and dedicated today as part of the renovated Children’s Museum at MNS. The installation is the first interactive solar display at a North Texas museum.
The Green Mountain Energy® Solar at the Museum of Nature & Science is part of the Explore Your Backyard gallery in the new 10,000-square-foot Children’s Museum at MNS. Museum officials, families, Green Mountain’s Super Earth mascot, along with other company officials, and donors were on hand to “flip the switch” and officially power the interactive display aimed at children up to age 7. The Explore Your Backyard gallery is one of five themed areas that invite children to explore their community, their neighbors, a farm and the natural environment around them.
The 640-watts solar array was built with four solar photovoltaic (PV) panels that are each 36 inches wide and 60 inches long. The solar array powers an indoor kiosk and demonstrates to children how solar panels convert the sun’s energy into electricity. The children then power several interactive items directly with solar energy.
“Green Mountain Energy Company is proud to partner with the Museum of Nature & Science to help expose and educate the tens of thousands of museum visitors about solar energy,” said Paul Markovich, senior vice president, Residential Services for Green Mountain Energy Company. "Building this solar facility supports our mission to change the way power is made. We are also excited about the opportunity to support the new Children’s Museum Explore Your World Gallery.”
Green Mountain created, donated and funded the museum’s new solar feature through its Big Texas Sun Club®, a program in which Green Mountain’s Texas customers can choose to support solar energy installations in Texas by paying an additional $5 on their monthly Green Mountain Energy® electric bill. To date, 11 solar projects have been built in Texas thanks to the Big Texas Sun Club. With this installation, Green Mountain’s Big Texas Sun Club is responsible for creating about 130 kilowatts (kW) of new solar energy capacity in Texas since 2002.
“This display introduces children to the concepts of energy and renewable energy at a very young age,” said Nicole Small, CEO of the Museum of Nature & Science. “It also raises the topics of conservation and preserving the earth. At the same time, it is fun and easy for young children to use. We are delighted by this generous contribution from Green Mountain Energy Company. It supports our mission of inspiring minds through nature and science.”
The solar display is part of a nearly $1 million renovation of the MNS campus at Fair Park in Dallas. These and many other galleries are open seven days a week. Visit www.natureandscience.org for more information and tickets.
Green Mountain is Texas’ only retail electric provider dedicated to cleaner electricity.
About Green Mountain Energy Company
Green Mountain, the nation’s leading provider of cleaner energy and carbon offset solutions, began in 1997 with a simple idea: “to change the way power is made.” The company offers consumers and businesses the choice of cleaner electricity products using renewable sources such as wind, water and solar that help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted into the air. Green Mountain customers have collectively helped avoid over 3.3 million tons of CO2 emissions.
About the Museum of Nature & Science
The Museum of Nature & Science, formerly the Dallas Museum of Natural History, The Science Place and the Dallas Children’s Museum, is a non-profit educational organization located in Dallas’ Fair Park. In support of its mission to inspire minds through nature and science, MNS delivers exciting, engaging and innovative visitor experiences through its education, exhibition and research and collections programming for students, teachers, families and life-long learners. The MNS campus includes the TI Founders IMAX® Theater and a cutting-edge digital planetarium. The museum is supported in part by funds from the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs, the Texas Commission on the Arts and EDS. To learn more visit www.natureandscience.org.
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