It’s a win-win for everyone as High Tech High (HTH) in Chula Vista is expanding its solar portfolio to significantly reduce energy costs and reinvest those savings back into the school.
HTH has partnered with Sullivan Solar Power, to install a 170.7 kW-AC solar photovoltaic system at its Chula Vista campus. This installation at the school is expected to produce more than 327,000 kWh each year. The solar system, comprised of 719 Kyocera 270-Watt panels, was put in on both the carports and the rooftop of the school.
Daniel Sullivan, founder/president of Sullivan Solar Power, said HTH’s solar installation was paid for in part by Proposition 39 bond funding. He said solar provides numerous benefits.
“Electrical power is increasingly expensive. but thanks to financing available and solar technology, sustainable energy can be used instead of fossil fuels to make the region and the world a better place,” said Sullivan, noting the solar market locally has been growing “30 to 50 percent per year.”
“People are finally seeing the light that this is the future for our region,” Sullivan said.
Paul Dooley, HTH’s director of facilities, talked about why the school is powering up with solar, and why it made sense to do so.
“High Tech High is always looking for ways to make our schools more energy efficient,” Dooley said. “Many of those efforts are related to saving energy, with programs to convert lighting to LED and replacing older HVAC units with new more energy-efficient models. The solar panels recently installed by Sullivan Solar allow HTH to actually generate power to offset the cost of running our school. All of these efforts allow HTH to keep more of our funds directly in the classrooms.”
Dooley said the solar arrays recently installed at HTH campus were just completed and switched on last week.
“We expect that they will save the schools more than $40,000 per year, he said. “As funding sources arise for schools to make energy upgrades, High Tech High will continue to add solar to help reduce our costs.”
Dooley added, “The options for schools to reduce their operating expenses are few and far between. Solar is one way that immediately shows results, and will keep producing those results for many years.”
Noting there were only about 100 solar systems installed throughout San Diego County when he started his solar business 13 years ago in 2004, Sullivan pointed out “now there are more than 80,000 systems deployed. The trend is more and more schools and school districts, as well as homeowners and business owners, are adopting solar.”
Sullivan said San Diego is perfect for solar.
“We have no shortage of sunshine, but we do have a shortage of fossil fuels,” he said. “The way to power our society is through the use of renewable energy.”
Founded in the fall of 2007, High Tech High Chula Vista serves approximately 1,300 students in grades K-12 and integrates liberal arts with hands-on technical learning. This is the second installation that Sullivan Solar Power has completed at the school.The first installation was completed as part of the Sustainable Communities Program, created in 2004 to promote the use of clean energy generation technology.
