BY PHILL BARNETT
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — Joshua Bills and Chris Woolery with Mountain Association spoke to the Martin County Board of Education Nov. 14 to offer their expertise in the solar project at Martin County High School.
Mountain Association is a nonprofit that assists nonprofit solar projects in the area. Edelen Renewables reached out to Mountain Association about supporting additional solar projects in Martin County in association with the Martin County Solar Project.
Edelen Renewables and Savion are currently developing a 200-megawatt solar plant at the former site of the Martiki mine in Pilgrim.
Edelen Renewables has donated $100,000 to Martin County High School for solar panel installation. Mountain Association will assist with planning and installing the solar panels for the high school.
Bills and Woolery offered to aid in the discussion of certain aspects of the project, such as the scope and nature of the project.
Bills advised that a roof installation project would be 15-20% more cost-effective than a ground-installation project and would not take up otherwise useful real estate.
Woolery pointed out that the disadvantage of a roof array comes in the event of roof repairs. It is more expensive and difficult to repair a section of the roof or check it for damage if solar panels are in the way.
Superintendent Larry James expressed hesitation over a roof array due to a leak already detected in the relatively new school.
At a July board meeting, treasurer Earnest Hale suggested investing an additional $70,000 to more than double the capacity of the school’s solar system from 45 kW to 92 kW. This move would save the school district an estimated $23,000 a year on energy costs, according to Hale.
Bills weighed in on this by noting specific technical requirements for a larger system. Bills recommended installing the smaller system and monitoring the school’s energy usage closely to determine whether it would be as advantageous as it seems on paper.
The actual energy savings will depend on the energy used in 15-minute cycles throughout the day.
Board member Mickey McCoy motioned for the board to select a 45 kW capacity ground array. The board agreed unanimously.