They are using the alternative energy as a way to deal with utility inflation.
COLUMBIA -- The Columbia Museum of Art is installing solar panels on its roof after receiving over $100,000 from an energy grant.
They submitted their proposal in 2009 as a way to deal with utility inflation.
"The idea to go solar was, in some ways, a necessity," says Executive Director Karen Brosius. "In a museum, everything has to have constant temperature to prevent humidity, so we don't necessarily have the opportunity to turn down the thermostat."
The installation will take place in stages. The first set of panels is expected to be installed at the end of the year.
Brosius expects initial savings to be small but says it will have significant repercussions in years to come.
The museum says their focus is on keeping operating costs low.
"We want to put that money into programming, and educating children and bringing tourists in, staying dynamic."
This project joins several buildings using renewable resources already in Columbia, such as USC's green quad, but the museum's grant is unique in that it will be the first solar project of this size in the city.
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