$400,000 grant will help fund solar field planned at Erie County Technical School

• Erie County Technical School is among recipients of new Solar for Schools grants.
• The school’s solar array will save on energy costs and will be a hands-on learning lab for students interested in renewable energy.
• The solar field is expected to be completed next summer.

The Erie County Technical School has been awarded a $400,000 state grant to help fund a solar array on school grounds.

The Solar for Schools grant from the state Department of Community and Economic Development is among 73 awarded statewide. The almost $23 million in grants will help schools reduce electricity costs, Pennsylvania Education Secretary Rick Siger said in a statement.

“Energy is one of the top expenses for schools, which is why investments in solar energy can help to maintain long-term financial stability and improve the quality of education they offer students,” Siger said. “Those savings can then be channeled into more resources for our teachers and students, and also create good-paying, clean-energy jobs and job training opportunities.”

Penncrest School District in Crawford County was awarded a $336,960 Solar for Schools grant.

The ECTS project

The school plans to build a .5-megawatt solar farm on five to seven acres behind the school at 8500 Oliver Road in Summit Township.

About 1,000 solar panels would be installed to produce enough power to provide about one-third of the school’s electrical needs, saving about $75,000 annually, tech school Executive Director Matt LaVerde said. The estimates are based on solar assessments from a number of industry entities, LaVerde said.

The school spends about $225,000 annually for electricity for multiple buildings and for multiple labs with a variety of power-drawing equipment.

“We estimate we will save between $3 million and $5 million on electricity over 20 years, and that will be a big deal for all of our 11 member school districts,” LaVerde said.

The solar field also would reduce the complex’s carbon footprint and help it achieve energy independence. The school plans to add solar panels annually.

“Our plan is to add to the array every single year, even if it’s just by a handful of panels to teach students the installation process,” LaVerde said.

A living laboratory

The biggest benefit of the solar project, LaVerde said, would be the “living lab” on school grounds.

“It will be a teaching tool for our students,” LaVerde said. “That’s one of our main motivations for this project. Renewable energy is not going away, and this will provide opportunities for hands-on learning right on our site.”

And that will benefit industry and communities as well as students, acting state education Secretary Carrie Rowe said.

“These projects turn school buildings into living laboratories where students gain real-world experience in clean energy technology,” Rowe said in a statement. “Whether it’s through hands-on STEM education or technical training in solar installation and maintenance, this initiative prepares students for in-demand careers and helps ensure Pennsylvania’s workforce is ready to lead in the 21st Century economy.”

Cost and timeline

Total cost of the solar project is estimated at $1.2 million. The Solar for Schools grant and government renewable energy incentives are expected to cover more than $900,000 of that cost.

In Girard Township: Erie County’s first commercial solar farm

“The lift for us locally will be about one-quarter of the cost, and we expect that will be paid off in energy savings in four to five years,” LaVerde said.

The solar field could be completed next summer.

Contact Valerie Myers at vmyers@gannett.com.