DARLINGTON - The Darlington Community School District will be installing a 156-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system on the roof of the elementary and middle school this fall.
It will generate about 200,000 kilowatt hours per year, with about half of the energy being directed toward the adjacent high school. Overall, it is expected to reduce the energy use in the two buildings by about 19 percent.
The system will serve as an educational platform to teach students, teachers and the community about renewable energy, particularly solar energy. It is anticipated to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 400,000 pounds per year, equivalent to the absorption rate of about 150 acres of United States forest. The electricity output would meet the power requirements of 18 average U.S. homes.
The installer will be SunVest Solar, a solar energy installation company based in Pewaukee. The company has installed more than seven megawatts of capacity since 2009. SunVest will partner with Chuck Smith and Current Electric, who will be the NABCAP-certified lead electrical contractor.
The project is supported by grants from Wisconsin's Focus on Energy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Darlington Community School District will co-own the system and be a member of the managerial board that helps operate the project, which is scheduled for completion in late November or early December.
For more information, contact Niels Wolter, Madison Solar Consulting, at Madison.solar@me.com.
It will generate about 200,000 kilowatt hours per year, with about half of the energy being directed toward the adjacent high school. Overall, it is expected to reduce the energy use in the two buildings by about 19 percent.
The system will serve as an educational platform to teach students, teachers and the community about renewable energy, particularly solar energy. It is anticipated to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 400,000 pounds per year, equivalent to the absorption rate of about 150 acres of United States forest. The electricity output would meet the power requirements of 18 average U.S. homes.
The installer will be SunVest Solar, a solar energy installation company based in Pewaukee. The company has installed more than seven megawatts of capacity since 2009. SunVest will partner with Chuck Smith and Current Electric, who will be the NABCAP-certified lead electrical contractor.
The project is supported by grants from Wisconsin's Focus on Energy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Darlington Community School District will co-own the system and be a member of the managerial board that helps operate the project, which is scheduled for completion in late November or early December.
For more information, contact Niels Wolter, Madison Solar Consulting, at Madison.solar@me.com.