Petaluma high school students may soon help generate a large portion of the electricity they use, while also cutting down on the district's energy expenses.
Next month, Cupertino Electric Inc. will begin designing and engineering two solar photovoltaic systems to be installed on Petaluma High School and Casa Grande High School campuses.
Together, the solar panels are expected to generate one megawatt of electricity. That's enough to offset the schools' electricity purchases by 60 percent, translating to a savings of more than $200,000 a year, according to the San Jose-based company.
The project, which is costing about $5.4 million, also is estimated to generate enough clean energy over a 20-year period to offset the annual greenhouse gas emissions of 4,302 passenger vehicles, said company Vice President John Curcio.
Construction is set to begin in the fall and last through early next year. It was financed by a combination of voter-approved and federal stimulus bonds.
TerraVerde Renewable Partners, which will oversee the installation and financing, plans to help the schools integrate solar energy concepts into the schools' math, science, construction and drafting curricula.
The companies also volunteered to install a PG&E-funded electric vehicle and bike charging station Casa Grande.
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