Impact of a Photovoltaic System in Technological Higher Education Energy, Environmental, and Educational
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37431/conectividad.v7i3.503Keywords:
Solar energy, Photovoltaic system, Sustainability, Higher education, Carbon footprintAbstract
Currently, the use of electrical energy has become an essential service for the development of society, particularly in higher education programs such as Software Development Techonology, where electricity is fundamental for academic activities. However, electricity generation through coventional methos can cause environmental pollution. In response to this situation, a photovoltaic system with solar panels was implemented in the Software Development program in order to partially supply electricity to computer laboratories for approximately 10 hours per day and reduce dependence on traditional energy sources. A descriptive-analytical methodology was used. Through the solar monitoring system, energy level data were collected at a sampling frequency of every five minutes over a period of approximately seven days. Among the results obtained, a positive educational impact was observed, as students in the Software Development program experienced practical learning related to sustainable development. A relevant social impact was also identified within the institution by promoting a culture of sustainability and environmental awareness. Regarding energy and environmental impact, the system generated an average of 25 KWh of clean electricity per day, covering approximately 75% of the program’s electricity consumption and achieving an accumulated reduction of 2450 Kg CO2 emissions, equivalent to a 75% reduction in pollution.
References
Aristizábal, C. E., & González, J. L. (2021). Energía solar fotovoltaica en instituciones educativas: caso de estudio ITM campus Robledo. Semestre Económico, 24(57), 30-57. https://doi.org/10.22395/seec.v24n57a2
CEPAL. (2003). Energías renovables y eficiencia energética en América Latina y el Caribe: restricciones y perspectivas. Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe. https://www.cepal.org/es/publicaciones/6426-energias-renovables-eficiencia-energetica-america-latina-caribe-restricciones
Fthenakis, V., & Kim, H. C. (2011). Photovoltaics: Life-cycle analyses. Solar Energy, 85(8), 1609-1628. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2009.10.002
International Energy Agency. (2022). Renewables 2022: Analysis and forecast to 2027. IEA. https://www.iea.org/reports/renewables-2022
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2021). Climate change 2021: The physical science basis. Cambridge University Press. https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/
Krauter, S. (2006). Increased electrical yield via water flow over the front of photovoltaic panels. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 82(1-2), 131-137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2004.01.011
Leal Filho, W., Manolas, E., & Pace, P. (2015). The future we want: Key issues on sustainable development in higher education after Rio and the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 16(1), 112-129. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-03-2014-0036
Lozano, R., Lukman, R., Lozano, F. J., Huisingh, D., & Lambrechts, W. (2013). Declarations for sustainability in higher education: Becoming better leaders. Journal of Cleaner Production, 48, 10-19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2011.10.006
Ministerio del Ambiente y Energía del Ecuador. (2021). Inventario Nacional de Gases de Efecto Invernadero - INGEI - Sistema Nacional de Inventario de Gases Efecto Invernadero - SINGEI. https://singei.ambiente.gob.ec/singei/?page_id=1565
Mulder, K. F., Segalàs, J., & Ferrer-Balas, D. (2012). How to educate engineers for/in sustainable development: Ten years of discussion, remaining challenges. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 13(3), 211-218. https://doi.org/10.1108/14676371211242535
Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century. (2015). Renewables 2015 global status report. REN21. https://www.ren21.net/gsr-2015/
Sterling, S. (2010). Transformative learning and sustainability: Sketching the conceptual ground. Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, 5, 17-33. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266184629_Transformative_Learning_and_Sustainability_Sketching_the_Conceptual_Ground
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (2017). Education for sustainable development goals: Learning objectives. UNESCO. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000247444
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (2020). Education for sustainable development: A roadmap. UNESCO. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000374802
Wiek, A., Withycombe, L., & Redman, C. L. (2011). Key competencies in sustainability: A reference framework for academic program development. Sustainability Science, 6(2), 203-218. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-011-0132-6
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Instituto Superior Tecnológico Universitario Rumiñahui
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
The originals published in the electronic edition under the first publication rights of the journal belong to the Instituto Superior Tecnológico Universitario Rumiñahui; therefore, it is necessary to cite the source in any partial or total reproduction. All the contents of the electronic journal are distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International (CC-BY-NC 4.0) license.
2.png){kind=logo}
