After a long deliberation, CUSD has finally set its plan to go solar into action. Thanks to PFMG Solar, a solar energy equipment supplier, the district will be able to begin reducing its carbon footprint. This January, CUSD finalized the locations of the solar panels, and will begin installing them this spring. The solar arrays will be placed at CHS, El Roble Intermediate School, San Antonio High School, the district office, and the eight elementary schools.

“I think that it is great that the district has begun to take steps to be more eco-friendly, but I also hope that this means the school district will also begin to address other environmental issues that the schools face as well,” CHS junior Anna Barger-Niemz said.

The district has wanted to decrease its carbon footprint but was unable to implement its plan due to the high costs of installing solar equipment, as capital funds were not enough to go through the notion of using solar energy in the schools and office. However, PFMG Solar will be able to provide assistance in helping CUSD use solar energy by leasing its equipment since PFMG does not own the equipment itself and only hosts the equipment. PFMG will conduct energy usage analysis, environmental impact reports, and more to calculate how much solar equipment will be needed to generate the proper amount of solar energy. By doing so, the school district has also come to an agreement to pay for about 75% to 85% of the cost of energy that is generated from the solar arrays. The district will rent them from PFMG, and the rest will be purchased from Edison.

The solar equipment that will be leased from PFMG will be located in the parking lots at CHS, San Antonio High, and as well as the school district office. These solar arrays are supported by large columns that elevate the panels, so they will be able to provide shade in addition to energy, especially for the remaining schools. In the remaining schools, these solar panels will be located on the black top and will be able to provide shade for students underneath them. PFMG intends to paint the solar array columns colors based on each school’s colors.

Overall, the cost of leasing the solar equipment from PFGM is still much more reasonable than purchasing the electricity from Edison, since this will not only lower costs but also help direct the money to other issues that need to be addressed. Construction of the solar panels will begin this spring, and will most likely finish installment around November of the next school year. As of now, officials have arranged meetings to settle the decisions of the final placement of solar panels, costs, and more.

CUSD is finally able to begin reducing its carbon footprint, now with sufficient funding. With the support of PFMG Solar, installation of the solar arrays will soon begin to commence and should be finished by the end of 2016. As new additions to each of the schools in the districts, these solar panels will help benefit the schools in many ways by not only reducing costs of electricity, but also by providing benefits for the entire school district.