Green Hands USA: America Volunteers

Middlebury College in Vermont is about to install 34 photovoltaic solar power collectors thanks to the efforts of four economics students.

The students -- Spencer Petterson, Camille Seylor, Olivia French and Alexandra Rotatori, all members of Professor of Economics Jon Isham’s fall "Environmental Economics" class -- conducted a cost-benefit analysis that illustrated to college administrators that the solar energy project was worthwhile, according to a report from the Addison County Independent.

The two-acre solar array will be installed in February next to the college's organic garden. According to the college, the solar cells are expected to produce 200,000 kilowatt-hours of energy annually. The equipment is being leased and is expected to save the college between $5,000 and $10,000 per year.

Middlebury already has a wind turbine and a biomass plant on its campus.