With help from a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Energy for America Program grant, Western Reserve Local School district today formally powered up one of the largest solar systems ever to electrify a school building in the State of Ohio.
“Renewable solar energy is an important part of the Administration’s ‘All-of-the-Above’ energy strategy,” said USDA Ohio Rural Development State Director Tony Logan, who was on hand for the official announcement. “In the end, the nearly $100,000 REAP grant will offset about a quarter of the project’s total cost. More importantly, this grant helps highlight a significant public-private partnership and puts a rurally-located business in a position to reach even more Ohioans with renewable energy solutions.”
Western Reserve Local has a Power Purchase Agreement with Valley Energy Solar, which provides and maintains the equipment at no cost to the district. Installed on the roof of the school’s administration building, the 125 kilowatt photovoltaic system features 396 U.S.-manufactured solar panels that are expected to produce about 137,000 kilowatt hours of solar energy each year; enough to power about 12 mid-sized homes. Valley Energy Solar estimates the system will save the school district about $2,400 annually, with the district is paying 20 percent less per kilowatt hour for solar. Over the anticipated 30 year life of the system, the school district will save about $255,000.
Since 2009, the Rural Energy for America Program has helped finance more than 11,000 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects that have reduced energy costs for roughly 15,000 rural businesses. During this period, USDA provided more than $373 million in grants and almost $481 million in loan guarantees to agricultural producers and rural small business owners. When operational, these projects will generate or save almost 9 million megawatt hours – enough to power more than 730,000 homes and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more 5 million metric tons in carbon dioxide each year. That’s the equivalent of removing more than 1.1 million cars from our roads.
REAP also helps businesses create jobs, helps farmers and rural businesses reduce their carbon footprint, and helps the country move closer to energy independence.
To learn more, call 614-255-2424 and ask to speak with USDA Ohio Rural Development Energy Coordinators Randy Monhemius or Christie Hooks.