Add as a preferred source on Google

Wisconsin’s New Berlin First Participant in Solar Now Pilot

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 07/24/19

Wisconsin’s School District of New Berlin is outfitting three of its schools this summer with solar panels. The project, with WE Energies and SunVest Solar, will install 8,076 panels at three schools this summer. The installations will primarily go on rooftops, but one school will also have a solar field with 2,134 modules. The installation, part of WE's new "Solar Now" program, will create 35 megawatts of renewable energy.

The system includes access to SolarEdge, which provides online monitoring of energy production and usage data.

Solar Now is a pilot program approved by the state's Public Service Commission. In discussion before the vote, solar advocates told commissioners that the program gives WE Energies a monopoly on solar implementations within the state. The program works like this: The company installs solar panels on customer properties, and the customer receives a monthly lease payment based in part on how much power the panels generate. According to regional reporting, this "rent-a-roof" model prevents customers from being able "to lease or finance equipment through private developers," which cuts those companies out of the business.

The project, with WE Energies and SunVest Solar, will install 8,076 panels at three schools this summer. The installations will primarily go on rooftops, but one school will also have a solar field with 2,134 modules.
Image source: WE Energies

In a presentation to the school district, WE estimated the rent payments for the four solar installations at $94,401 per year, totaling $1.89 million for the 20 years of the agreement. In the arrangement, the school district would be responsible for the cost of temporarily relocating the solar array if the various school roofs were to need replacement.

"We are proud to be the first participant in this innovative renewable energy program," said Superintendent Joe Garza, during the project announcement. He noted that along with adoption of renewable energy, the initiative will also give students "the unique opportunity to gain real life knowledge about the production of solar energy for years to come."

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • LAN, Inc. Opens Office in College Station, Texas

    Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) recently announced the opening of a new office in College Station, Texas, to support its regional client base, according to a news release. The organization provides engineering, design, and program management services for water, wastewater, transportation, stormwater, and education clients in the Brazos Valley.

  • textured paper collage shows a school building on fire as a fire truck sprays water into the flames

    Why a Fire Loss Is More than Flames

    We've all seen what fire damage can do to a property, but the types of damage building owners often encounter after a fire loss can exceed expectations. Having full awareness of the different forms of damage properties can sustain helps owners respond faster, reduce continued damage, and get back on the road to recovery in short order.

  • restroom sinks

    CSU Dominguez Hills Standardizes Plumbing to Improve Restroom Maintenance and Efficiency

    At California State University, Dominguez Hills, facilities leaders have taken steps to standardize restroom fixtures as part of a broader effort to improve maintenance efficiency and control long-term costs.

  • Massachusetts K–12 District Selects Architect for New Junior High

    Swansea Public Schools in Swansea, Mass., recently announced that it has selected Finegold Alexander Architects to design a new junior high school for the district, according to a news release. The firm will create the Feasibility Study and Schematic Design for Joseph Case Junior High School after a lengthy selection process by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).

Digital Edition