Cambria Heights Elementary in Cambria County, Pennsylvania has brought a 346-panel rooftop solar array online to help offset added electricity demand from a new air-conditioning system and lower utility costs for years to come, WJAC reported.
Here's what to know
According to WJAC, the district worked with a state-approved energy savings company on the installation, and state funding provided more than $1 million for the project. Cambria Heights Elementary has a new heating system and energy-efficient lighting as well, which will help the district reduce wasted energy.
At a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the panels, fifth grade students also learned how particles like protons and electrons produce solar energy.
The Cambria Heights superintendent, Kenneth Kerchenske, told WJAC that the high school will be the next campus to get a project like this.
More background
Because public funds cover school electric bills, generating more power on-site can help limit the strain of rising utility prices and reduce future pressure on taxpayers.
Plus, pairing efficiency upgrades with solar can make these public buildings more resilient to inflation and blackouts over time. Better temperature control can make the building more comfortable for students and staff while reducing the energy waste older systems often create.
For homeowners, going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy. If you're curious about costs, you can explore EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes. With EnergySage's help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations.
EnergySage's solar map also shows the average cost of a home solar panel system in each state and the incentives available there, helping readers get the best price for rooftop solar panels and access available incentives.
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And if you can't put solar panels on your home for whatever reason, there may be a community solar program near you that could help you out.
Where can I learn more?
Cambria Heights is one of many community institutions using rooftop solar to steady budgets while improving buildings.
• In Goleta, Ellwood School completed a solar campus overhaul projected to save $2 million.
• Across the country, solar panels on schools are turning unused rooftops into revenue.
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💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
• One church used government-backed solar discounts to cut costs by more than $180,000.
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