THE Journal

Green Schools | News

Arizona School District Completes 2.66 MW Solar Installation

• By Joshua Bolkan
• 04/18/11

The Paradise Valley Unified School District in Arizona has completed construction of a 2.66 megawatts solar installation.

The system, engineered and constructed by Solon, is the largest school district solar installation in the state and includes projects at four separate sites:

• 940 kW at North Canyon High School;
• 973 kW at Shadow Mountain High School;
• 462 kW at Pinnacle High School; and
• 288 kW at Horizon High School.

Paradise Valley signed a solar service agreement and paid nothing up front to have the system installed and will instead pay a fixed rate for energy for the next 20 years. Local utility company Arizona Public Service is also providing incentives for the systems.

"The benefits are immense from our solar system deployments with Solon," said Ken Carter, director of purchasing for the Paradise Valley Unified School District. "These projects offset a large portion--approximately 27 percent in the first year of operation--of the electricity needs of our schools with renewable and sustainable energy and they are made possible because of the Renewable Portfolio Standards that are mandated by the Arizona Corporation Commission and implemented by Arizona Public Service. Through SOLON, we simply buy the electricity generated from these systems below the current APS electricity price, and in turn, have the ability to service our schools for the next 20 years."