Elementary School Solar Power Field -- $1 Million?

      Located in Warren County, New Jersey, Pohatcong Township Elementary School's officials have been discussing and reviewing bids for a $1.05 million solar field that could possibly save the school more than $90,000 annually on electric costs. According to Superintendent Diane Mandry, the ground-mounted photovoltaic field will help provide nearly all of the school's electricity and result in approximately $96,000 in annual savings. "The Pohatcong School District is excited about being able to incorporate a solar field that will produce a significant portion of the district's electric needs for the next 25 years, thus saving a substantial amount in operating expenses," said Mandry.
      The district had went out to bid for the project last month and had received a total of eight proposals from contractors, with bids ranging as high as $1.72 million. The lowest bid, however, was of $1,048,434 from Flemington-based Advanced Solar Products, Inc., although the school board is still in the process of formally accepting the bid. "The project will be funded through the school's district's capital reserve fund," Mandry said.
      "The solar field would be constructed on 2 acres in a field just north of the school and would include 1,694 solar panels on ground-mounted arrays," said Mandry. According to Advanced Solar Products President Lyle Rawlings, those panels will generate approximately 625,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year. "In addition to the electricity cost-savings, the district stands to gain additional money by selling solar energy certificates to electricity suppliers," Rawlings said. Such suppliers are required to secure a portion of their electricity from solar generators. However, they also have the option of buying certificates to use as credits towards those requirements.
        "The school will be able to sell them and get substantial revenue," Rawlings said. "In fact, the revenue it would generate probably would be on the same order of magnitude as the power itself." Mandry had also noted that based on the average value of those certificates  last year, this project would have generated about $57,000 in revenue.

Pohatcong Township Elementary School