PA District Installing Solar Energy System
Bald Eagle Area School District (BEASD) of Wingate, PA, 20 miles north of State College, is installing rooftop photovoltaic systems to provide solar energy to its Wingate Elementary and Bald Eagle Middle/High School.
The district has selected Tremco Roofing and Building Maintenance and Smart Energy Capital (SEC) to provide and maintain the system.
According to the agreement, the rooftop systems will be owned by SEC BESD Solar One, and the district will buy 100 percent of the power they generate for 25 years at a fixed rate per kilowatt hour. A spokesperson said the energy generated will meet approximately 50 percent of the two schools' electricity demands and that the district will not incur any costs for the installation and maintenance of the systems.
"This is a wonderful opportunity to support the green initiative, reduce energy costs, and provide an educational experience for our students," said BEASD Superintendent Dan Fisher. "For example, an Internet-based monitoring program will enable our students to see how much power is being generated by the PV systems in real time."
The partnership has estimated the two systems will generate a combined 970,000 kilowatt hours annually, offering substantial energy and cost savings while presenting both the students and the community with a real-world example of the possibilities and benefits of alternative energy sources and the associated technology.
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