Add as a preferred source on Google

NY District Covering All Electricity Needs with Solar

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 04/06/21

A New York school district is now generating all of its electricity needs through a 4.1-megawatt solar project. Maine-Endwell Central School District in Endwell activated its system, located on district property next to an elementary school, on March 23. It's expected to save the district more than $6.2 million in future energy costs over the course of 25 years.

The project covers 15 acres and includes 6,240 solar panels. According to the district, it's the largest solar array owned by a school system in the state to reach 100% solar offset. The project was engineered by Eisenbach & Ruhnke Engineering and installed by Renovus Solar, both New York-based companies.

Maine-Endwell School District Solar Energy
Photo credit: Flying Brick Photography and Maine-Endwell Central School District

The system was expected to cost $7.3 million; however, that was offset by 82% through a state solar program incentive of $819,237 and additional state aid of $5.2 million.

The local utility company monitors the amount of solar array production through remote net metering and turns it into rolling credits, which are then applied to the district's utility bill throughout the year, including during the winter months when little to no energy is produced.

The solar initiative began in September 2019 when the district's board of education signed a "pre-development" agreement with Renovus. Construction was started last July 2020 and finished in November.

"Through visionary leadership and foresight, the Maine-Endwell Central School District and Renovus Solar have created a thoughtful and responsible solution to our electricity needs," said Maine-Endwell Superintendent Jason Van Fossen, in a statement. "Equally important, we have created the opportunity for our students and staff to learn the value of renewable energy resources, while providing our community with long-term cost-savings."

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Kenall Introduces Millenium Flair Series

    In a move aimed at modernizing institutional lighting without compromising on durability or performance, Kenall has launched its new Millenium Flair series, according to the Kenall website.

  • Empowering People Through Smart, Sustainable Campuses

    Sustainability is facing increasing scrutiny, with some questioning its costs and priorities. Yet for universities, it remains an essential driver of resilience, operational efficiency and long-term competitiveness. At the same time, there is a growing recognition that sustainable transformation is not just about reducing energy consumption and emissions to comply with tightening regulations ‒ it’s about creating vibrant, comfortable environments where people can thrive, innovate and connect. For university leadership, this is a complex balancing act, with rising energy costs and limited budgets only adding to the challenge.

  • ClassVR headsets

    Avantis Education Revamps Hardware for ClassVR Solution

    Avantis Education recently announced the launch of two new headsets for its flagship educational VR/AR solution, ClassVR. According to a news release, the Xcelerate and Xplorer headsets expand the company’s offerings into higher education while continuing to meet the evolving needs of K–12 users.

  • Elevating Campus Maintenance: How Power Wash Drones are Transforming Educational Facilities

    As today’s campuses grow larger and more architecturally complex, keeping exteriors clean, safe, and inviting has never been tougher. Facilities leaders are under constant pressure to stretch budgets, meet safety standards, and support sustainability goals—all while tackling the stubborn challenge of exterior cleaning.

Digital Edition