On March 29th, 2012, VIPs from around California met in Stockton at the San Joaquin County Office of Education to celebrate the completion of their 500-kilowatt photovoltaic carport project.

This project is significant for a number of reasons.  First, it represents a truly collaborative effort between the district, the business community, two non-profit organizations, and many dedicated teachers and students.

The two non-profit organizations are the National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project, and the Foundation for Environmental Education, both of which were asked by utility provider Pacific Gas and Electric to develop a comprehensive energy education program for K-12 public schools in their service area of California. As a result, the PG&E Solar Schools program was launched in 2004 and has since provided more than 9 million dollars in support to schools in the form of teacher trainings, grants, and solar installations. By 2008, 130 schools had been identified to receive a $25,000 grant to install 1.2 kilowatt educational “systems on a stick”, or grid tied pole mounted modules complete with Internet-based data monitoring.  To this day, the schools are able to monitor production of their own schools and compare it to other schools throughout the state.

Looking for ways to take the Solar Schools program in a new direction, the decision was made to shift from funding many small installations to identifying fewer schools to receive greater support for larger installations, and to include additional and sustained support for the schools, teachers, and students, to learn more about energy and to promote school-based energy efficiency programs such as energy audits, waste and water studies, and improvements in food service and transportation efficiency.

The San Joaquin County Office of Education was one three districts identified to pilot this new vision.  Pacific Gas and Electric made the commitment to provide a $200,000 grant toward completion of a large photovoltaic system provided that it would be done in a reasonable amount of time. Efforts began in late 2010, when district leaders met to identify three potential building sites on the campus.

A Request for Proposals (RFP) was developed and sent to 18 vendors.  Five of these vendors replied with a number of solutions that included Cash Purchase, Power Purchase Agreement, and Lease Option funding proposals.  The decision was made to build 500-kW system on the western two-acre parking lot to serve the Wentworth Education Center.

Unfortunately, before the team came to this determination they learned on December 24, 2010, that California Solar Initiative funds for non-residential projects in the PG&E service area were no longer available. Disappointed but not discouraged, they put their project on the CSI wait list in case funding might be restored.

Funding was the next major decision to be made. Some funding options were better than others, with a cash purchase solution being the most attractive, depending upon the interest rate.  The county employed the expertise of GFSI in Sacramento to critically review the five finalists proposals and the benefits and dangers of each funding solution.

Three of the five responding vendors were selected to provide a more detailed bid on the two-acre site, and asked to respond with a cash purchase price and to include 20 years of Operations and Maintenance, and an extended warranty on the inverters. Further, they were told to disregard CSI incentives in any Return on Investment (ROI) calculations they might include in their bids.

Ultimately, Solar City was the winning competitor. Not only was their price the most competitive at $5.00/watt, their experience in providing the lion’s share of the 125 1kW systems was proof of their ability to perform and their educational Internet-based data page has already become the standard for the Solar Schools program. The district asked Solar City for one tiny additional component: one car-charging station At that time, San Joaquin County had no level-II electric vehicle charging stations, and we thought it would be a perfect complement. Solar City happily acceded to our request! Our final project cost would be about $2,500,000 or $5/watt.

Because this project has such a profound educational component, the district decided to apply for Qualified Zone Academy Bond (QZAB) funding, the same funding that might be used to build a chemistry lab or wood shop.QZAB applications require a 10% match and the $200,000 gift from PG&E would be most of that, but leave us $50,000 shy of our needs. We went back to Solar City to ask what they might be able to do to help us meet this requirement, and after a number of conversations they agreed to add four more EV chargers for a total of five, and to include additional educational support.

In the end, the QZAB was granted and the interest rate on the funds is less than one percent. Below is an excerpt from the application detailing the educational component:

Energy Data Tracking: Students will be able to track, monitor, and analyze the power generated by the solar modules in real time using an Internet-based solar data-monitoring tool. The data can be analyzed by students to identify optimal performance periods and the amount of energy generated. Students will also be able to compare the data from Venture Academy with other schools throughout the State, utilizing the PG&E Solar Schools Program. In addition, the data will be incorporated into the Academy’s math and science courses in regards to graphing the data and calculating the environmental impact of school energy use, and changes in consumption and production by analyzing historical data, determining cost effectiveness of the solar modules, and comparing variables such as temperature and irradiance.

Energy Ambassadors: Students will participate in the development and implementation of energy efficiency and conservation efforts to reduce the schools’ carbon footprint. Students will provide presentations on these efforts to County schools, local businesses and organizations, and SJCOE staff, as a continuing effort to raise awareness of the importance of energy conservation.

Energy Audits: Students will assess SJCOE’s profile with respect to energy and water use, waste management, transportation, and other factors to develop strategies to be more efficient, sustainable, and to work towards carbon neutrality.

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations: Industry partner, SolarCity, will provide five level-two charging stations in support of this project, which will be the first level-two charging stations in San Joaquin County. Students will learn how to maintain and operate the charging stations, and will learn more about the electric vehicle infrastructure. In addition, the stations will integrate with current and planned transportation projects, including building prototype alternative energy vehicles.

Semi-Annual Sustainability Fairs: The laboratory will become the backdrop for sustainability and renewable energy celebrations. Academy students will host these events and staff informational booths, lead educational breakout sessions for attendees, including parents, staff, businesses, and agencies, and other key stakeholders.

Construction began in January 2012 and presented an invaluable opportunity for students that hadn’t even been considered in preparing the QZAB application. In addition to Venture Academy’s 1-kW system on a stick, the campus is home to one of five Pacific Gas and Electric Company sponsored “New Energy Academies”, California Partnership Academies designed to prepare students for advanced studies and careers in the energy sector.

Part of the academic and career educational design of the New Energy Academy is the requirement that students spend time job-shadowing workers in the energy field. The construction of this large project presented the perfect opportunity for students to observe and interact with contractors, and to observe first-hand the construction process from beginning to end. New Energy Academy teacher Jeannine Huffman provided hard hats, safety vests, and protective eyewear to her class before making regular visits to the worksite to observe every step from boring holes for support columns to construction of the steel support structure, placement of modules, and finally the electrical connection of the system through the inverters to the distribution panels. Jerry Kennedy and Jonathan Gornik of Solar City were most gracious in allowing students to come over twice weekly to learn all about the different processes and skills involved in the construction project and to ask different questions of the workers there. A second career academy launching this fall, the Clean Transportation Technologies Academy, will also benefit by studying the generation of this solar project and the usage of the electric vehicle charging stations.

All of these marvelous elements of this project, and more, were celebrated on a sunny Wednesday on March 29th. Special visitors included the California State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson, Ezra Garrett and Leah Casey, of PG&E, Mary Spruill, Executive Director of the NEED Project, Glen Kizer of the Foundation for Environmental Education, and several elected officials and their representatives. 

Local auto dealers brought electric vehicles, including the Nissan Leaf, a Chevrolet Volt, and an E-Mega manufactured in Stockton by Electric Vehicles International, one of the industry partners of the Clean Transportation Technologies Academy. 

There was even a Tesla Roadster brought to the dedication ceremony by a local owner.

The Tesla owner was kind enough to provide rides to students and teachers, and even gave Superintendent Torlakson a ride!

Sierra’s 20 Kwatt array

On January 19th Sierra Middle School in Bakersfield California celebrated the official opening of their 20 kilowatt solar array. The array was made possible with a grant of $156,000 from the Pacific Gas and Electric Company Foundation, which sponsors the California Solar Schools Program. Sierra MS and it’s club the Kids for Solar Energy, has been part of the PG&E Solar Schools Program for the past eight years and was awarded the title of Model Solar School and the 20kw array was part of the award. The advisors of the KSE Club are Allison Arnold and Bob Hodash, who have received several grants and have worked together over the past eight years, expanding the after-school club, and its outreach efforts.

A sunny warm day greeted 30 members of the community of Bakersfield, including the Mayor, Harvey Hall, Kern County Supervisor Karen Goh, the BCSD Superintendent Dr. Robert Arias, Shawn Cooper, SeniorDirector of Corporate Affairs for the Pacific Gas and Electric Company, as well as many others, and more than 225 students from Sierra. Speeches were delivered, students demonstrated their skills at converting Solar Energy, and all four local television news shows, two newspapers, and even a radio station, had crews on hand to cover the event.

Ms. Arnold, Mr. Prieto, Mrs. Goh, Mayor Hall, Jesus Fernandez, Mr. Cooper (PG&E), & Dr. Arias

The Kids for Solar Energy Club was formed in 2005 at Sierra Middle School for students in grades 6th to 8th. The Club explores ways to use solar power to reduce greenhouse gasses and climate change. The students have used solar energy to cook foods such as: bread, pizza, chicken, and cookies. The KSE members have learned how to convert solar radiation into electricity to power model cars, fans, and lights. Additionally, the Club has explored electric energy consumption by monitoring the amount of electricity appliances consume and making recommendations on using power strips or unplugging unused appliances.

The KSE Club has been very active in the promotion of solar energy and green projects over the last eight years. We have presented at a number of local schools, Earth Day festivals, the Green Expo, Celebrate CSUB, as well as other events. Through our efforts we have educated our students and the public about the importance of saving energy, recycling, and the benefits of renewable technologies.

Another club, which includes many of the same members, Sierra’s Green Team, promotes recycling and has a vow to find a way to recycle most everything. Through this clubs efforts recycling at the school has become a way of life and has spread to many other schools. Over the past two years almost 75 thousand pounds of materials have been recycled. Enough to fill three large classrooms! Items such as batteries, paper, cardboard, cell phone, chip bags, worn out markers, etc. would have been sent to landfills are now being recycled and have raised some serious money for the student body fund. Yes, there are companies that will actually pay you for your used chip bags and other items!

Last year Bob Hodash was awarded the Solar Schools Inspirational Teacher Award, which was presented on the field of the AT&T Park in San Francisco, before a SF Giants baseball game. The award was presented by Leah Casey Program Manager for the PG&E Solar Schools Program and joining them on the field were 25 student members of the KSE Club and Allison Arnold, several other Teachers from Sierra and a BCSD school board member.

Monica

Kids for Solar Energy cooking with Solar Power Mayor Hall, Monica Ramos & Jessica Carreno

On the South side of Chicago on South Rockwell Street, sits Gage Park High School. From a high perch at the top of the three story building, the six (6) SunTech photoelectric (PV) panels almost seem to be looking down the at the neighborhood. The solar electricity from these PV panels flows into the school and also helps to educate the students. As part of the educational side of this project, there is live data for the students to monitor and the school used curriculum provided by the National Energy Education Development Project (NEED) from a series of teacher training workshops held in Chicago over the past few years. Most of the funding for the solar electricity system and all of the funding for the teacher training workshops came from grants funded by Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation in Chicago.

According to Gage Park Science Educator Patricia Parsons, “I found that before using this curriculum, students knew very little about solar energy and solar panels. After completing these activities, my students had a better understanding of solar energy, and how it will open up many doors for them in the future.”

The data from the Gage Park High School solar project can be found on the Illinois Solar Schools web site.

The panels were installed at 35 degree angle on the front of the school so that anyone entering the school can see the panels above their heads.

Gabriela Martin of the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation is also happy with the Gage Park High School Solar School Project. “We have a long standing relationship with the Chicago Public Schools and the Gage Park Solar School Project is another example of that partnership. This project also demonstrates how it is possible to connect schools to green energy in a way that will enhance their education in science and math in the short term and may help them find green jobs in the long term. “

Gage Park Solar Panel

Gage Park Kids

Gage Park Gazebo

Allegro Academy

Rockford Illinois Mayor Lawrence “Larry” Morrissey spoke to the students at Allegro Academy in Rockford, Illinois recently at the school’s solar celebration. He told them how special their school was because it had a solar array on its roof that generated electricity from the sun. Mr. Shu Hong of the Solar Star Foundation was there along with Nick Poplawski of the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation who both helped to fund the project. Illinois Clean Energy provided $8,000 in funding while the Solar Star Foundation provided a $1,000 grant.

Dale McCormack, Mayor Larry Morrissey, Nick Poplawski, and Dave Merrill

Nick Poplawski, Mr Shu Hong, Mayor Larry Morrissey, and Allegro Academy Students

Dale McCormack is in charge of the facility and he and Dave Merrill of Sunair Systems which did the installation were finally able to relax and enjoy the celebration. A group of music students played several songs under the direction of Ms Nanette Felix, principle harpist for the Rockford Symphony Orchestra.

Ms Nanette Felix and the school orchestra

While the kids may have had the most fun in the gym that day, Principal McCormack, seemed to be right behind them.

Principal McCormack

It is a great project and everyone there seemed convinced that the solar electricity system would provide some clean energy with a lot of educational support in the areas of science and math. Take a look at the solar schools website and the data for Allegro.

And for more information about the Solar-celebration ceremony, the school has included a number of pix and some video on the school’s web site.

Glebe Elementary School in Arlington, Virginia is simply a happy place. From my first step into the building, with its flamingo-pink walls and pet turtles (“please wash your hands after touching the turtles” suggested a sign in lobby), the school hummed with peaceful purpose. And the sense of focused calm went beyond the reason for my visit — celebrating the installation of a small, educational solar array. Even after the outdoor assembly had concluded, I felt a coordinated commitment to making learning joyful.

Glebe Elementary Principal, Jamie Borg, celebrating the first SolarWorld Solar2Schools installation

My role at Glebe was to help the school community celebrate SolarWorld’s first Solar2Schools initiative, and to thank the many people and organizations that made the installation of the 1.1 kilowatt system possible. Fortunately for all, it was a postcard perfect autumn morning, the sun shining warmly with not a cloud in the sky, as all 570 students, their teachers, a handful of smiling parents, and a gaggle of dignitaries gathered on the school field, accompanied by the 5th grade music ensemble, drumming under the new SolarWorld solar awning.

5th graders at Glebe Elementary drumming under the new SolarWorld solar awing

After remarks from Principal Jamie Borg and a few others, it was my turn to speak. I gave Astrum Solar, our installation partner, heartfelt thanks for their hard work on the project, and pointed out to the kids that the solar panels we were all looking at would still be there, generating clean renewable energy, in 25 years when they come back with their own kids to see the school they attended as youngsters.

Jamie Borg, Principal of Glebe Elementary School, interviews with local news station about SolarWorld Solar2Schools program

Then, channeling my own four boys and their delight in getting adults to look slightly silly, I led the school board members, PTA leaders, state elected officials, and yes, even Congressman Jim Moran, in singing, “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy, when skies are gray. You’ll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away.”

Amy Keiter addressing the audience

Another form of alternative energy, the wind, blew over my SolarWorld banner, but by that time we were ready for the ribbon-cutting. The ceremonial scissors were almost as tall as the handsome, confident pre-teen who wielded them, with some assistance by Congressman Moran. As I packed up my scattered belongings, shamelessly eavesdropping, I was delighted to hear school administrators and parents scheming to add more solar panels to the school. “They look like they belong here,” said one of the Arlington School District facilities manager, with apparent surprise.

Glebe Elementary's Student Body President gets ribbon-cutting honors

The National Energy Education Development project (www.need.org) will be SolarWorld’s partner on the education component of our Solar2Schools efforts, and Duncan and Jacob at Astrum Solar told me they’re willing participate in another Solar2Schools project, so I haven’t alienated anyone yet.

Loading my gear into the taxi for the trip to the airport and home to Oregon, I felt like I was in the closing scene of a movie. The credits should roll as the cab pulled away from the school, the kids playing happily on the field, the sun streaming through the brightly colored trees. Cue the music. Reprise. “You are my sunshine…”

-Amy Keiter, Community Relations Manager, SolarWorld Americas

On November 19, 2011, the Walmart Foundation sponsored a training workshop in Washington D.C. for teachers from Washington schools that received solar photovoltaic systems from the Walmart Foundation Solar Schools Project. The National Energy Education Development Project (NEED) of Manassas, Virginia, conducted the workshop, held at John Burroughs Education Campus, an elementary school on Monroe Street NE, and one of the four D.C. solar schools. These workshops are conducted for schools and school districts who have received the Walmart Foundation funded solar installations

The workshop started at 8:30 AM and lasted until 3:30 PM.NEED provides printed materials, curriculum-by- age group, and classroom hands-on materials for students. The workshop participants worked with the sets of hands-on materials as part of their training experience.

Gardening

In Washington DC, the schools that received grants for 5 kW PV installations from the Walmart Foundation were:

John Burroughs Education Campus Elementary School
Brent Elementary School
Anne Beers Elementary School
Washington Mathematics Science Technology Public Charter High School

This workshop is the third in a series of Walmart Foundation funded solar workshops. Over thirty teachers participated, with some coming from several other nearby school districts. These teachers join their colleagues in Minneapolis, Seattle, Chicago and Los Angeles to be part of over 250 educators receiving classroom curriculum and hands-on solar kits for their schools.

Solar Panels

NEED was honored to have two great facilitators for the workshop. Both DaNel Hogan and Matthew Inman have been recognized this year as U.S. Department of Energy Einstein Distinguished Educators. They also serve as advisors to the U.S. Department of Energy. Both DaNel and Matthew are fun and engaging facilitators and NEED is honored to have them on the team. Capital Sun Group, Ltd., installed the four systems. President Carlo La Porta briefed work shop participants on how they can monitor and capture data on the amount of solar energy the school systems deliver via an internet connection. This data is available on the internet for all of the Walmart Foundation funded schools . He gave the teachers a tour of the solar array on the roof and the inverter and Webbox interconnection device.

Special thanks for the success of the program goes to Eupert Braithwaite whose leadership helped navigate the project through D.C. Public School System channels. The District of Columbia was a challenging location because three of the schools are historic buildings or in a historic zone and the National Fine Arts Commission had to review the design plans.

If you would like to find out more information or to see the data from any or all of these schools, you can find them at solorschools.org:

If you would like to learn more about NEED and their teacher training programs, including a calendar of upcoming workshops, you can visit need.org

–Glen Kizer