The second part of the research agenda is the development of the dedicated research array,
the NSERC. As shown in Figure 15, this is a completely separate and much smaller array than
the solar farm. The NSERC will be used as a testing ground for all the different component parts
of solar power technology. This 1 MW array would generate power that would remain behind the
meter at Brookhaven National Laboratory, helping the lab move toward its internal sustainability
goals (Lofaro 2012). As of this publication, the land has been cleared for development, but the
NSERC is still in its design phase. Construction is set to take place in the fall, and the NSERC is
expected to be open for research in early 2013.