St. Albans switches on Vermont's largest school solar array
Energy project fold into science curriculum while saving taxpayers $15,000 annually
Stewart Ledbetter
NBC5 Anchor/Reporter
WEBVTT LBANS ELEMENTARY ANDMIDDLE SCHOOL -- AND MIDDLESCHOOL WITH SOLAR PANELS THATARE FINALLY GETTING SWITCHED ON.>> ON A SUNNY MORNING -->> 1, 2,3, WOOO!>> 8TH GRADERS AT THE TOWNEDUCATIONAL CENTER WERECELEBRATING.THEIR SCHOOL HAS THE LARGESTSCHOOL SOLAR PROJECT ANYWHERE INTHE STATE. >> THERE'S OVER 2,000 SOLARPANELS ON OUR ROOF ARRAY --PRETTY IMPRESSIVE. STEWART: THEY'LL GENERATE ENOUGHELECTRICITY TO POWER THISSPRAWLING SCHOOL COMPLEX ALLYEAR>> THE SOLAR FOR SCHOOLS PROGRAMOFFERED THEM A NO UPFRONT COSTPLAN TO GO SOLAR AND GET AGUARANTEED SAVINGS ON THEUTILITY COSTS.STEWART: SUN COMMON FINDS ANINVESTOR TO FUND INSTALLATION OFTHE SOLAR PROJECT -- ATTHI-- AT THIS SCHOOL A $1.5 MILLION, PROJECT. THE INVESTOR'S REPAID THROUGHTHE SALE OF THAT SOLAR ENERGPRODUCED OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARSTHOUGH SOME OF THAT MONEY IS, RETURNED TO THE SHOOLDISTRICT THROUGH LOWER ELECTRICBILLS.THIS SAVES TAXPAYERS $15,000EVERY YEAR. >> WE ARE PLEASED.STEWART: IT IS ALSO, PRINCIPALANGELA STEBBINS SAYS, A LEARNINGOPPORTUNITY.>> ABOUT SOLAR AND ENVIRONMENTALFACTORS AND HOW STUDENTS CAN BEGOOD CITIZENS.STEWART: THE DISTRICT PLANS TWOMORE LARGE SOLAR ARRAYS AT OTHERFACILITIES IN THE NEXT COUPLE OFYEARS. >> BY THE TIME WE'RE FINISHEDWITH ALL T PROJECTS, WE WILLBE LOOKING AT A GOOD PORTION OFTHE ENTIRE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
The Maple Run Unified School District in St. Albans is moving aggressively to power its school facilities with electricity generated by the sun, calling it a win for taxpayers, students and the environment. "It's a cool thing," Superintendent Kevin Dirth said. "We're really pleased with it." Two thousand panels mounted on top of the town educational complex come online this week, and two new projects are in the queue.Installation costs are covered by an investor who is repaid by the sale of most of the energy generated by the sun. The rest flows back to the district in the form of lower utility bills every year for at least the next two decades. The arrangement is possible because of a state law under which utilities purchase power from specific, permitted solar projects at above-market rates, part of the state's long-term effort to shift toward renewable energy generation. "Vermont has a very favorable net metering program," said Mike McCarthy, a consultant at Sun Common, which facilitated the St. Albans project. "Our Solar for Schools program was a perfect opportunity to offer a 'no upfront cost' way to go solar and get a guaranteed savings on their utility costs."
ST. ALBANS, Vt. —
The Maple Run Unified School District in St. Albans is moving aggressively to power its school facilities with electricity generated by the sun, calling it a win for taxpayers, students and the environment.
"It's a cool thing," Superintendent Kevin Dirth said. "We're really pleased with it."
Two thousand panels mounted on top of the town educational complex come online this week, and two new projects are in the queue.
Installation costs are covered by an investor who is repaid by the sale of most of the energy generated by the sun.
The rest flows back to the district in the form of lower utility bills every year for at least the next two decades.
The arrangement is possible because of a state law under which utilities purchase power from specific, permitted solar projects at above-market rates, part of the state's long-term effort to shift toward renewable energy generation.
"Vermont has a very favorable net metering program," said Mike McCarthy, a consultant at Sun Common, which facilitated the St. Albans project. "Our Solar for Schools program was a perfect opportunity to offer a 'no upfront cost' way to go solar and get a guaranteed savings on their utility costs."