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Install Solar Panels – Make Money – Educate
By Green Guest | June 10, 2010
What an innovative yet obvious thing to have done. The Grand Erie District School Board in Ontario has officially launched a renewable-energy program that will see the installation of solar panels on the rooftops of 23 selected schools.
Not only is the school district’s renewable-energy program the largest in Canada with their installation of solar photovoltaic panels on the select school’s rooftops, they are including a heavy emphasis on using it as an educational tool. The Grand Erie District School Board encompasses 28,000 students from kindergarten to grade 12.
The students of schools where the solar panels are installed will be able to track their schools’ solar-generating power and energy savings with the use of a carbon calculator.
In partnership with Ameresco Canada Inc, through the carbon footprint reducing Ontario Power Authority’s Feed-in Tariff, the schools within the Grand Erie district will output up to 3.3MW in solar-power generating capacity. This is enough clean green energy to power approximately 385 average homes annually.
But the win-win doesn’t end there. Ameresco Canada Inc, will design, build, own, maintain and also monitor the PV installations, while the school district will be generating ongoing revenue. The solar energy produced guarantees a set tariff price to participating school boards for a period of 20 years. All the while the students learn first hand from the ‘live solar laboratory’ on their school’s roof.
As more small scale energy programs like this come on line, the more communities can get off the grid while helping to reduce their carbon footprint. All parties win – including the earth.
Category: Green News
Tags: ameresco canada, Canada, carbon calculator, carbon footprint, energy, grand erie district school board, ontario, photovoltaic panels, pv, school board, solar panels No Comments »