A cooperative effort involving the New York Power Authority (NYPA), the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and municipal electric systems will result in solar energy providing electricity at two high schools and a middle school in New York state.
NYPA officials have announced that solar photovoltaic systems able to produce a total of 5.4 kilowatts (kw) of power are scheduled to be installed this summer at Pioneer High School in Yorkshire, Cattaraugus County; Lake Placid High School in Essex County; and Solvay Middle School in Onondaga County.
The projects will be funded in part through grants from NYSERDA as a result of the settlement of a lawsuit by the New York State Office of the Attorney General against the Ohio Edison Co. last year. The Independent Energy Efficiency Program (IEEP), established by more than 20 of the state's municipal systems to carry out energy efficiency programs in their service areas, will coordinate the work.
The Pioneer High School project, to be installed on the building's roof, and the Solvay Middle School unit will each produce up to two kw. The Lake Placid project's capacity will be 1.4 kw. While the projects will meet a small part of each school's power needs, they will offer significant educational benefits. In addition to supplying clean, economical power for each school, the units will give students a firsthand look at a renewable energy source and will complement classroom instruction.
‘The Power Authority is pleased to be part of this initiative, which will meet important energy, environmental and educational needs,’ says Timothy S. Carey, NYPA's president and chief executive officer. ‘Increased use of solar power can help to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and the threat of global warming. Learning about this and other energy options will enable today's students to contribute to informed decision-making in the future.’
The Power Authority will provide technical assistance and will oversee the projects to ensure that they meet the objectives of a landmark 2003 agreement that, among other provisions, called for increased cooperation between NYPA and the state's 51 municipal electric systems and rural cooperatives in promoting energy efficiency.
