Worthington school jumps into solar power in a big way | The Columbus Dispatch
Worthington school jumps into solar power in a big way | The Columbus Dispatch
Monday, March 8, 2010 3:46 AM
THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Maybe they should move it four blocks to Morning Street - or at least change its name.
After all, Worthington's Evening Street Elementary School is going to be paying a lot of attention to the rising sun.
Last week, students, teachers and government officials flipped the switch - their version of cutting a ribbon - on an array of rooftop solar panels that will supply about one-fourth of the school's electricity.
On hot summer days, when the panels generate more power than the school can use, surplus electricity will flow to nearby residences. Potentially, officials said, the system could meet the energy needs of as many as two dozen homes.
Although other schools in central Ohio, including three in Worthington, already get some power from solar panels, the Evening Street project is the largest of its kind in a five-state region, officials said.
"This is a great example of the school district leading the way in the state of Ohio," said Mark Shanahan, energy adviser to Gov. Ted Strickland.
Worthington Schools Superintendent Melissa Conrath said the new system will save money, reduce the use of fossil fuels and help students understand how alternative energy sources work.
Using computers in their classrooms or homes, for example, students will be able to see how much power is being produced at the time.
"This is the generation that is going to have solar panels or wind power in their homes," said Mary Rykowski, Evening Street's principal.
The school's 300 solar panels were installed by Solar Vision LLC, a company founded by Worthington resident Greg Kuss. The businessman said he'd wanted to do something like this for 30 years.
"The Evening Street project is the beginning of that dream come true," he said.
Kuss was part of a team that presented the idea to the Worthington school board a year ago.
Selling the board on the concept was easy; the tough part was funding the project without upfront money from the district.
Alex Skorniakov, an Evening Street parent who works for a local investment company, helped secure government grants, guarantees, loans and tax credits.
"This is virgin territory," Kuss said. "Nobody has financed in this way before."
Under the arrangement, the district will assume ownership of the system in 20 years - or about 7,300 sunrises.
cbrooks@thisweeknews.com
After all, Worthington's Evening Street Elementary School is going to be paying a lot of attention to the rising sun.
Last week, students, teachers and government officials flipped the switch - their version of cutting a ribbon - on an array of rooftop solar panels that will supply about one-fourth of the school's electricity.
On hot summer days, when the panels generate more power than the school can use, surplus electricity will flow to nearby residences. Potentially, officials said, the system could meet the energy needs of as many as two dozen homes.
Although other schools in central Ohio, including three in Worthington, already get some power from solar panels, the Evening Street project is the largest of its kind in a five-state region, officials said.
"This is a great example of the school district leading the way in the state of Ohio," said Mark Shanahan, energy adviser to Gov. Ted Strickland.
Worthington Schools Superintendent Melissa Conrath said the new system will save money, reduce the use of fossil fuels and help students understand how alternative energy sources work.
Using computers in their classrooms or homes, for example, students will be able to see how much power is being produced at the time.
"This is the generation that is going to have solar panels or wind power in their homes," said Mary Rykowski, Evening Street's principal.
The school's 300 solar panels were installed by Solar Vision LLC, a company founded by Worthington resident Greg Kuss. The businessman said he'd wanted to do something like this for 30 years.
"The Evening Street project is the beginning of that dream come true," he said.
Kuss was part of a team that presented the idea to the Worthington school board a year ago.
Selling the board on the concept was easy; the tough part was funding the project without upfront money from the district.
Alex Skorniakov, an Evening Street parent who works for a local investment company, helped secure government grants, guarantees, loans and tax credits.
"This is virgin territory," Kuss said. "Nobody has financed in this way before."
Under the arrangement, the district will assume ownership of the system in 20 years - or about 7,300 sunrises.
cbrooks@thisweeknews.com
posted by Ben Blanquera at
8:23 AM
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