Lopez Schools Go Big with Solar
Rooftop installation lays groundwork for a community resilience hub
Lopez Island School District has started an ambitious solar project to help secure its energy future.
This multiphase project is expected to add a significant amount of local, renewable energy that will benefit students for years to come. Lopez Island School District serves about 185 students, with more than 50% from low-income households. Phase 1 of the project includes installation of 177 kilowatts of rooftop solar panels on the elementary and secondary school buildings. The project’s energy savings will directly benefit educational programs and student services.
This project is made possible with about $289,000 in Washington State Community Solar Expansion grant funds and about $124,000 in federal Direct Pay clean energy incentives. The schools will teach students about renewable energy with hands-on learning opportunities. Students can access built-in system monitoring and data display capabilities to see energy production as it happens.
Orcas Power & Light Cooperative helped facilitate the project through its interconnect program and the Switch It Up! on-bill financing program. “Working with organizations like the Lopez school district is a win-win for our energy future,” OPALCO General Manager Foster Hildreth says. “Every bit of locally produced renewable energy is a benefit for the next generation of co-op members and will help us meet the increasing energy demands.”
Other partnerships that made this project happen include volunteer Chris Greacen, Lopez Island School Superintendent Brady Smith, clean energy nonprofit Spark Northwest, volunteer John Helding, technical support company MZ Solar Consulting and designer/ builder Western Solar.
The next phase of the project incorporates battery energy storage to enable the buildings to act as a community hub during power outages or natural disasters. This project is an excellent example of combining local, state and federal funds with local expertise and strong community partnerships. “The Lopez School strives to be the center of the community, and this solar project will serve as a model for rooftop solar on our island,” Brady says. “It saves the school district money, reduces the schools’ demand on the grid, provides an on-site learning opportunity for students and adds to the many ways the Lopez School is contributing to island resilience. A huge thank you to all who have made this project possible.”
Phase 1 of this project is slated to be complete next month. Many other local organizations have completed innovative local, renewable energy projects throughout the San Juan Islands. Read up on what other islanders have done to save money, save energy and do good for the planet at www.opalco.com/blog.
