TIPP CITY, Ohio /eNewsChannels/ — NEWS: In just a few weeks, Adams County Ohio Valley School District will harvest much of its electricity from the sun as part of an energy conservation project it has undertaken with Energy Optimizers, USA.
Work is nearing completion on the district’s 535 KW solar photovoltaic array, with the entire array expected to be up and running in the near future. Once the project is complete, 100,000 square feet of solar panels will be utilized as part of the district’s far-reaching effort to reduce its energy costs and environmental footprint. The photovoltaic solar array, in combination with several other energy saving measures, is expected to net the school district $259,330 annually in utility savings.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for the school district and the community,” said Mark Wiley, president of Kastle Solar, LLC, the company that has installed the solar array. “This is a progressive move for the district, one that the entire community can take pride in.”
In total, the district is making improvements to all seven of its buildings, including the Ohio Valley Career Technology Center. In partnership with Energy Optimizers, USA, the district has:
* Installed a 535 kW solar photovoltaic array, which is expected to provide the majority of the district’s electricity
* Overhauled the CTC’s boiler plant with new, energy efficient equipment
* Upgraded the CTC’s fuel supply from oil to cleaner-burning propane
* Replaced interior lighting with more efficient lamps and remove unneeded lamps to cut waste
* Replaced exterior lighting by going to LED technology to improve energy efficiency while enhancing building safety, appearance and security
* Installed occupancy sensors on many light fixtures to reduce wasted electricity
* Installed advanced energy management controls to provide real-time, web-based monitoring and management of the district’s HVAC systems
* Installed energy-saving features to the kitchen exhaust fans and coolers.
Projected energy savings are guaranteed for three years. Funding is provided through the Ohio School Facilities Commission’s House Bill 264 program, enabling the district to make these cost-cutting improvements at no expense to taxpayers.
“We are excited about bringing these solar arrays online,” said Superintendent Rodney Wallace. “It’s the right thing to do for our students and our taxpayers. Not only will the arrays deliver significant savings in energy costs, it is also an excellent tool for educating students and the public about engineering concepts and environmental stewards through energy management.”
The project has gained the attention of Ohio Senator Joe Uecker. “I applaud Superintendent Wallace and the Ohio Valley School District for promoting building improvements that protect the environment and put more funds back into our classrooms. Students now have more opportunities to excel academically while protecting the world they live in and understanding fiscal responsibility,” said Senator Uecker.
The project partnership also includes the resources to launch a Green Team, an energy education effort that Energy Optimizers, USA promotes in all of its school-related energy conservation projects. In addition to funding the team for two years, Energy Optimizers, USA, will provide Ohio Energy Project academic materials that are aligned to Ohio’s academic content standards. Green Team members will take part in STEM-related activities that are focused on energy conservation, while encouraging their peers to become more environmentally conscious. The solar array will become a live classroom for the Green Team members.
The district plans to hold a public event once the project is complete, with more information to follow.
About Energy Optimizers, USA:
Energy Optimizers, USA works with educational, governmental, commercial and industrial customers to implement energy savings opportunities to reduce operational costs, including lighting retrofits, renewable energy projects (wind and solar), HVAC retrofit projects, building automation retrofits and energy education programs. The company is ranked in the Top 500 of INC. Magazine’s list of 5,000 fastest growing companies in the U.S. (2014), was named the Fastest Growing Company in the region for two consecutive years by the Dayton Business Journal (2013, 2014), and was named a BBB Eclipse Integrity Award Finalist (2012).
To learn more about Energy Optimizers, USA, visit their website at http://energyoptusa.com/ or call them at (937) 877-1919.
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