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California District Goes Solar With Rooftop Arrays

  • By Kevin Hudson
  • 10/22/13

The San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) has completed a solar array designed to provide solar energy to 29 schools and two other district facilities.

The arrays vary in orientation, size, and design and have been installed across 125 buildings within the district and will generate 3.1 megawatts of power, according to a release.

For the project, SDUSD worked with Main Street Power (MSP) and Enphase Energy, with MSP heading development of the system's varied arrays and Enphase supplying micro-inverter technology that allowed for utilization of the arrays within a single system.

"Despite each building's unique size and structure, Enphase made it possible to maximize the array size on each rooftop, all using a single technology," said Eric Hinckley, senior vice president and chief technology officer of Main Street Power, in a prepared statement. "San Diego Unified School District turned to solar for its environmental impact, but the money saved by the solar arrays will provide more resources for teachers and students — a win-win for the community."

The installation and operation of the solar arrays on so many district buildings also offers a unique educational opportunity for students. MSP has developed a K-12 solar education program that can be integrated into each school's science curriculum.

To begin this implementation, MSP will conduct its "Train the Trainers" program to instruct district science teachers in the 29 schools where solar was installed on how to implement new curriculum focused on renewable and solar energy systems into their classrooms, according to a release.

"Enphase is proud to have our trusted technology associated with a project dedicated to educating children about alternative energy," said Bill Rossi, CMO of Enphase Energy, in a release. "Not only will the students learn about their school's rooftop solar in the classroom, but the school district will benefit from reduced energy costs over the long term."

About the Author

Kevin Hudson is a freelance journalist based in Portland, Oregon. He can be reached at [email protected].

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