The University of Minnesota- Initiative for Renewable Energy and
the Environment (IREE) and the State of Minnesota provided funds
to establish a small scale renewable energy test bed at the West
Central Research Center (WCROC) in Morris. Two small scale
renewable energy systems have been installed to demonstrate
solar thermal technologies. The first system is a flat-plate
solar thermal system manufactured by Solar Skies in Alexandria,
Minnesota. The Solar Skies system provides domestic hot water
via a Trend Setter hot water heater. The second system is an
evacuated tube solar thermal system which was supplied by Solar
Panels Plus in Chesapeake, VA. The Solar Panels Plus system is
designed to provide 10 tons of air conditioning via an
absorption chiller and 15 tons of space heat for the Renewable
Energy Addition. Both solar thermal systems are being controlled
and monitored by an Energy Management System provided by
Honeywell Automation based in Eden Prairie, MN. This will allow
data collection and storage to