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Middletown Unified installs solar systems to reduce energy usage, costs
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The main parking lot at the Middletown High School campus is a construction site as the Middletown Unified School District is increasing its energy efficiency efforts with the installation of solar photovoltaic systems.
District officials said the project entails installing solar photovoltaic systems serving the three schools on the Middletown campus and Coyote Valley Elementary School.
The installations include a ground mount at Coyote Valley and parking lot solar installations at the Middletown campus.
The total installed solar capacity at the Middletown Unified school sites will be 350 kilowatts, according to the district.
The systems are expected to reduce the district's annual energy consumption by 40 percent, and along with lighting upgrades will help the district reduce its utility bill by 50 percent.
In total, the project is expected to generate over $2.1 million in savings over 25 years, the district reported.
Through net energy metering, the energy produced by the solar photovoltaic systems will be used to offset site usage and any excess energy will be exported to the grid, the district said.
Since solar photovoltaic systems produce energy in the middle of the day when it is worth the most, the savings realized for the district are greater than 60 percent.
Middletown Unified School District said it will be compensated by Pacific Gas & Electric for the time-of-use value of the energy.
There are no up-front costs for the district, and the district also will not be providing any general fund dollars for the solar installations or lighting upgrades. Instead, the project will be funded by $2.1 million in 1 percent interest Qualified Zone Academy Bond monies.
After several months of investigation, Middletown Unified staff selected IEC Power LLC and Indoor Environmental Services as the team best suited to provide design and construction of the project.
IEC will be providing the design and installation of the renewable energy systems which include solar photovoltaic systems and IES completed the interior and exterior lighting upgrades.
The district said IEC also will provide an operations and maintenance agreement that will guarantee system output at 95 percent of expected performance.
IEC has experience in all facets of power generation – solar, wind, biomass, fuel cells, large scale power plants – and provides services not only to K-12 entities but also to utilities including SMUD, MID, LADWP, SDGE and TID.
The company has implemented energy conservation measures for more than 70 California K-12 school districts and has extensive experience in maximizing funding options such as Qualified Zone Academy Bond and K-12 specific utility rebate programs. As a team, they have led efforts within the state to tackle conservation first prior to installing renewable generation.