The Anacortes High School has completed the installation of a 1.1 kilowatt solar electric system and this Thursday it will be turned on during a brief ceremony at the high school.
The purpose of this project is to demonstrate the feasibility of and ease of generating electricity from solar energy at the high school. This project is also intended to kindle awareness of current climate change issues and reinforce the need for energy conservation. The demonstration solar electric system is mounted on roof of the high school’s library and is visible to all students and community members who use the high school.
This project was initiated in 2007 by an Anacortes High School student as her senior project. She assembled a project team of teachers, administrators, members from community organizations, and technical experts to assist her with the design, funding, and installation of the demonstration system. Skagit Beat the Heat volunteers organized the implementation of the solar array installation. Funding for this project was provided by a grant from the Northwest Clean Air Agency and donations from the Anacortes Student Body and a private donor.
This photovoltaic system is tied into the electrical grid and is expected to generate 1,100 kilowatt-hours of electricity each year. It will also serve as the foundation for several class curriculums in Physics, Advanced Placement Environmental Studies, and Principles of Technology. The faculty and students will to create a real time data web site, monitor the system’s performance, setup a real time display case in the halls, and perform energy audits. The hope for this project is that it will provide an incentive for the school and the community to make a stronger effort to conserve energy and shrink our collective carbon footprint.
The Switch-Throwing Ceremony will be held on Thursday at 1:30 pm and will be followed by a reception in the AHS school library.