A 90 kilowatt solar array was installed on the Cedar Rapids northwest transit bus garage at 427 Eighth Street NW in June of 2016. The energy generated by the panels is projected to save $38,000 over 25 years. The system is designed to produce 125,000 kilowatt-hours per year, which is enough to support 11 homes or 62 percent of the facility’s annual energy use of 200,342 kilowatt-hours per year. Since completion in June of 2016, the system has generated over 33 MWh of energy. That's the equivalent of 1,300 trees planted.
There are approximately 50 traffic beacons, flashers, and signs throughout the City that are solar powered. There are also three solar powered radio collectors for water meter reading.
Biogas
The Cedar Rapids Water Pollution Control Facility processes 2 million gallons per day of select industrial wastewater. Organic matter is removed from the waste stream by microorganisms that produce methane gas or biogas. The biogas is used to help fuel the incinerator when possible. In 2015 WPC burned biogas to in place of natural gas, saving approximately 440,000 therms and $325,000.
Geothermal
The Central Fire Station and the downtown library take advantage of the warm winter ground and cool summer ground by exchanging heat with the earth through ground heat exchangers.
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