Santee School District Elementary School in El Cajon Takes Major Step Toward Building a Green Campus
EL CAJON, Calif. (PRWEB) January 29, 2016 -- In pursuit of becoming an eco-conscious campus while significantly cutting costs, Pepper Drive Elementary School in El Cajon recently decided to go solar. Local solar firm, Sullivan Solar Power, installed the 35,880-watt solar power system for the school, which is a part of the Santee School District.
The District began focusing on green initiatives for its nine schools in 2007 with the launch of its Capital Improvement Program. The solar shade structure at Pepper Drive Elementary School is comprised of 138 locally-manufactured Kyocera panels, which is in direct alignment with the organization’s goals. The clean-energy project will offset the equivalent emissions of 872 tons of pollutants over the 25-year warranted life of the solar panels. The offset is comparable to omitting the emissions from 2,076,419 miles driven by the average passenger vehicle.
The solar structure also creates shading on site and significant savings. The system will provide an annual savings estimated at $23,000 and more than $759,000 in savings over the course of the next 25 years.
”The Governing Board and Administration is excited about launching another solar initiative that serves multiple purposes: to reduce the district’s carbon footprint, save on operating costs, provide much needed shade for children on campus and create additional learning opportunities for students,” said Dr. Cathy Pierce, Santee School District Superintendent.
Balfour Beatty Construction headed the project, subcontracting the design and installation of the solar power system to Sullivan Solar Power, a San Diego-based solar firm. The construction company has worked with Quinn Laudenslager, Executive Vice President for Sullivan Solar Power, on previous project such as Hill Creek Elementary School in Santee, Calif.
“Working with the Santee School District to realize their vision of a sustainable future has been a very rewarding experience,” said Laudenslager, “Their dedication goes beyond installing a solar power system to implementing everything they do to build a sustainable future into their curriculum to educate students about renewable energy.”
The solar power system is a part of the San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) net energy metering program, where the school earns credits for the power they send back to the grid. While the California Solar Energy Industries Association (CALSEIA) estimates SDG&E’s net metering program will expire in March 2016, Pepper Drive Elementary School will be grandfathered into the current net metering program for 20 years.
About Pepper Drive Elementary School
The Santee School District serves approximately 6,800 PreK through 8th grade students at nine schools throughout Santee and parts of El Cajon. Pepper Drive School, led by Principal Ted Hooks, is situated in El Cajon and serves more than 900 K through 8th grade students.
About Sullivan Solar Power
Sullivan Solar Power is a turnkey solar system provider that delivers solar electric projects from concept to completion. The company has installed more than 34,000,000 watts of solar power ranging from small-scale residential to large-scale commercial and municipal systems. Sullivan Solar Power was founded by Daniel Sullivan in 2004. Sullivan Solar Power has a longstanding A-plus rating with the Better Business Bureau, with no complaints filed since the business began. The firm has been named one of the fastest growing energy companies in the nation by Inc. Magazine and services all of Southern California. Regardless of project size and scope, Sullivan is committed to delivering the best products and the most qualified professionals to its customers. Visit sullivansolarpower.com for more information.
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Liz Frayer, Sullivan Solar Power, http://www.sullivansolarpower.com, +1 (949) 397-4474, [email protected]
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