# Green Mountain Energy Company Goes Solar For Cameron Park Zoo!

- Link: https://greenlivingguy.com/2011/05/green-mountain-energy-company-goes-solar-for-cameron-park-zoo/
- Published: 2011-05-06T03:09:17-04:00
- Author: greenlivingguy

To commemorate Earth Month, the Cameron Park Zoo in Waco, Texas and Austin-based
Green Mountain Energy Company, announced plans for the Zoo’s first solar array. 
Green Mountain presented the only accredited AZA zoo in Central Texas with a check
for $140,000 to fund the new 6,000 plus square feet solar panel system.

 Kelly Brcka, director of Residential Sales for Green Mountain Energy Company presented
the $140,000 check to Jim Fleshman, director, Cameron Park Zoo and Nashim Hamilton,
board president, Cameron Park Zoo.

The solar array will be the first to power a zoo in Central Texas and the second
solar system donated by Green Mountain in Waco. It will help reduce the Zoo’s carbon
footprint and energy costs, as well as be used to educate visitors about the benefits
of solar energy. The solar photovoltaic (PV) system will be mounted on the roof 
of the Zoo’s new wood and stone pavilion currently under construction in the Meadows
Area of the zoo. Cameron Park Zoo is located at 1701 N. 4^(th) St., Waco.

“In honor of Earth Month, the 30-day celebration of Earth Day, Green Mountain Energy
Company is especially pleased to donate the solar array system to the Cameron Park
Zoo, an organization that is dedicated to supporting the environment, conservation
awareness and preserving exotic animal species,” said Kelly Brcka, director, Residential
Sales for Green Mountain Energy Company. “Green Mountain has been serving customers
throughout Waco and the surrounding communities since 2002. Donating solar systems
like this one helps us give back to the communities where our customers live, work,
shop and play, while supporting our mission to change the way power is made.”

Green Mountain funded Cameron Park Zoo’s solar array through its Big Texas Sun Club
^(®), a unique 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 (for information, visit www.bigtexassunclub.
com). This will be the 28^(th) solar project built in Texas thanks to the Big Texas
Sun Club since 2002. Through the Big Texas [Sun Club](https://greenlivingguy.com/2011/10/sun-club-launches-new-york-chapter-for-donations-with-gme/),
Green Mountain donated a 9.6 kW solar array to the Waco Chamber of Commerce in 2008.

“What is exciting about this particular facility is that Cameron Park Zoo will be
able to actually show visitors an alternative energy option,” said Jim Fleshman,
director, Cameron Park Zoo. “For the Zoo, conservation is a key part of our mission.
The visitors will see that we work hard to be true to our stated purposes.”

The Cameron Park Zoo is building a new 6,070 square foot stone, metal, and wood 
pavilion in the Meadows area of the Zoo, where special events are held. This new
larger area will be called the Cameron Park Zoo Pavilion, and will be used for weddings,
corporate parties, and family reunions. Building a covered Pavilion will also allow
the Zoo to schedule temporary, traveling exhibits that would offer Central Texans
and others a chance to learn about animals other than those currently in the Zoo’s
collection. The Pavilion is also intended to be a teaching tool.

A sign about the array and information about solar energy will be placed near the
array. A monitoring web site will also be linked to the array to display real-time
energy output data that anyone with Internet access can view.

Construction on the solar array will start later this spring and is expected to 
be completed by August.  Details about the array’s size and its environmental impact
will be announced at the dedication.

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 greenlivingguy

 The Green Living Guy, Seth Leitman is an independent power producer, a green living
expert, and Editor of the McGraw-Hill, TAB Green Guru Guides. Seth is also an Author,
Radio Host, Reporter, Writer and an Environmental Consultant on green living. The
Green Living Guy writes about green living, green lighting, the green guru guides
and more. Seth's books range from: # Build Your Own Electric Vehicle by Bob Brant
and Seth Leitman (2nd and 3rd editions) # Build Your Own Plug-in Hybrid Electric
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Lighting by Seth Leitman, Brian Clark Howard and Bill Brinsky # Solar Power For 
Your Home by David Findley # Renewable Energies For Your Home by Russel Gehrke #
Do-it-Yourself Home Energy Audits by David Findley # Build Your Own Small Wind Power
System by Brian Clark Howard and Kevin Shea # and more green living books to follow.

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