The project advances CML’s commitment to responsible stewardship of public resources and addresses interconnected environmental, financial, and community challenges:

Reduce the environmental impact and long-term operating costs of a public facility.

Expand awareness of solar programs among low- and moderate-income residents and communities experiencing high energy burdens.

Use the library’s role as a trusted community institution to connect residents with reliable information, resources, and experts.

Demonstrate how renewable energy can be incorporated into a public facility while creating an educational opportunity for customers.

The Shepard Branch is the sixth CML location to generate solar power, with more planned in the future. The branch is the first to pair customer education with the launch of the panels.

Through the Low- to Moderate-Income Solar Co-op Program, CML worked with Sustainable Columbus, the City of Columbus Division of Water and Power and Solar United Neighbors to bring solar energy to Shepard Branch at no cost to the library.

The project combines infrastructure, operational savings, and public education. The 127-panel rooftop system is expected to generate approximately 66,505 kilowatt-hours annually and provide more than 45% of the branch’s annual electricity needs. An indoor display shows real-time energy production and environmental impact, transforming the building into a learning tool.

The library also hosted a Solar 101 seminar with Solar United Neighbors, giving residents access to experts and information about applying to the same program that supported the Shepard installation and exploring reduced- or no-cost residential solar options.

The completed installation provides both immediate and projected measures of impact:

127 solar panels installed

Project approx. 66,505 kilowatt-hours of annual energy generation

More than 45% of Shepard Branch’s annual electricity needs expected to be supplied by the system.

Project more than $8,000 reduction in building annual operating costs

More than 1,800 tons of carbon dioxide emissions expected to be prevented over the life of the system—equivalent to eliminating more than four million miles of driving by a gasoline-powered passenger vehicle.

More than 50 community members attended the project celebration and Solar 101 seminar, where participants learned how to apply to the program and explore reduced- or no-cost options for installing solar systems at their homes.

A permanent in-branch display provides customers with real-time information about the solar system’s energy production and environmental impact.