Central students let the sun shine

Lorraine Caputo’s AP (Advanced Placement) Environmental class at Sussex Central High School has been researching the possibility of using solar energy at the school. After giving a presentation to the school board a couple of weeks ago, they were given the OK to proceed with further research into how this would better the school’s energy use and save them money.

“It started with an assignment to consider a year-long action project that would make an environmental impact in our school community,” said Caputo. “The students insisted on finding ways for our community to learn the importance and advantages of alternative energy.”

This is the first year for the class, which has 10 students, all seniors. Soon after the students were given the assignment, Colby Luzier stopped in Flexera, Inc. in Harbeson, and spoke with John Donato, an alternative energy consultant for the company, about solar panels. Donato was asked to be a guest speaker for the class and has served for the past several months as a consultant for the students, providing them with information about renewable energy resources.

“They wanted to know the probability of doing something for the school,” Donato said. “Now they’re looking at ways to get funding and grants and maybe looking into a power purchase agreement. They’re incredible students. Once they had a basic understanding of different resources, it didn’t take them long to do their own research – it was really a 50/50 partnership when it came to research.

“Even if nothing comes of the [renewable energy project], they have a program in place just to cut costs by $10,000 per year with lights and computers,” he added.

The class has been working with Donato on a solar panel system that Flexera would design and install. Luzier said they also considered wind power but the school is in a 7 mph wind zone and 12 mph is needed for efficient wind power.

“We conducted a survey of teachers and staff to see how long they leave on their classroom lights and computers,” said Cortney Parker. “The computers were using 450 hours of energy per day and the lights were taking up 379 hours of usage. If they turned off one strip of lights for one hour a day as well as the computers, they could save 71 hours and 188 hours, [respectively.]”

Luzier added that turning off one strip of lights in each class could save the school approximately $12,000 per year.

The solar panels the students are proposing the school use would cover 124,000 square feet on the roof and 1 acre of land. Parker explained that the panels are expected to have 100 percent efficiency for 20 years and lose 5 percent every year after that. They could need no maintenance as they can withstand winds up to 125 miles per hour, temperatures up to 210 degrees and hail the size of golf balls. They would only need a maintenance check once a year.

According to Flexera, using solar panels instead of electricity would reduce more than  368,500 pounds of carbon in the atmosphere. 

The cost for the panels would be approximately $14 million, but, the students said, the panels would pay for themselves by the 13th year.

The class is hopeful of getting funding for the project from the state. They said Gov. Jack Markell has said if 13-18 schools participate in renewable energy sources, they could receive funding, which would mean a reduction in Sussex Central’s energy costs of 25 percent.

“For me it’s not about the money,” Parker said. “This is for future generations – this can change a lot for our world. If we don’t succeed this year, I hope I can help next year’s class with the project.”

“Coal is not inexhaustible,” Luzier said. “If we don’t have a backup plan, we’ll be in the dark.”

Both Parker and Luzier said they themselves recycle, turn off lights they aren’t using and have or are working on creating ponds for an outdoor habitat in their backyards. Both plan to take environmental classes in college. The class also helped the school’s recycle club start a school-wide recycling program.

Now that they have the school board’s approval, the class’ next step is to do further research on the panels and costs and work closely with Flexera engineers on the details of the project.

“Facilitating their courage and tenacity has been the most rewarding opportunity I have known as an educator,” Caputo said. “I have explained to them they have left a legacy of knowledge and awareness with their hard work and determination and, with the IRSD on board now, someday soon alternative energy in Sussex County schools will be a reality.”