Broadcasting on Sunlight

In May, KRUU was featured in Radio Ink, radio's premier management & marketing magazine for its pioneering incorporation of sustainable, renewable energy. On September 9, 2009 it became the first and only solar-powered radio station in the Midwest.

The July/August issue of The Iowan: Celebrating the Best of Iowa Since 1952 highlights KRUU's commitment to solar energy in its Potluck section. The glossy publication has a picture of KRUU's solar arrays next to its live remote mobile unit.

KRUU in Fairfield (www.kruufm.com online and 100.1 on the local FM dial) was the first station in Iowa to use solar power. Donated solar panels and a small grant set the low-power station on a path to reducing its environmental impact, says station general manager James Moore. In addition to a solar-powered studio and transmitter, the station is installing energy-efficient windows and asthma- and allergy-friendly flooring.

"We gained 15-20 percent in energy savings, but the solar panels are symbolic of a broader move in the direction of sustainability," says Moore. "KRUU is community radio at its finest--a tribute to a green-thinking community that is focused on what's possible."