Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical High School (UCT), a public vocational-technical high school in Bourne, Massachusetts, partnered with Solect Energy of Hopkinton, Massachusetts, and Green Seal Environmental of Sagamore Beach, Massachusetts, to develop and install a 663-kW solar canopy in the school’s existing parking lot. In addition to powering the school, the Bourne Rec Authority will also be drawing power from the solar array, which will provide meaningful savings over their current costs. The array became a reality thanks to a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Solect Energy.
UCT has 725 students with thirteen areas of vocational study. The school offers traditional vocational programs in the areas of plumbing, electrical, carpentry, health careers, information technology, marine services, automotive technology, collision repair and cosmetology. As well expanding their technical program offerings in the areas of engineering technology, environmental science and horticulture/landscape contracting. The newly constructed solar canopy will not only increase the school’s current sustainability efforts, but also enhance its curriculum by showcasing renewable technology in a live setting to the students and staff.
The school has an Environmental Science & Technology technical program in place, which is a curriculum centered on protecting the environment through the use of science, engineering, conservation, communication and economics. With the newly installed solar canopy, UCT will be able to integrate the array into the science program and directly enhance its students’ learning experience with renewable technology.
“We are thrilled about the addition of the new solar canopy to our school,” said Bob Dutch, Superintendent at UCT. “The solar array marks a new venture for Upper Cape Cod Tech’s students and staff, who will be able to utilize the technology as part of their curriculum. We are especially thankful to Solect for enabling our school to experience significant savings on our energy costs.”
Upper Cape Cod Regional Tech worked with Green Seal Environmental to develop, design and permit the array, in collaboration with Solect who financed and constructed the system through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), Solect owns and operates the solar array, and sells the power generated back to UCT at a reduced, fixed rate for the duration of the agreement. The entire project was completed and commissioned at zero cost to UCT and the clean energy provided to them and the Bourne Rec Authority will reduce their current energy costs.
“It was a pleasure partnering with Upper Cape Cod Tech on this project,” said Ken Driscoll, CEO at Solect Energy. “It is a wonderful thing to provide schools with solar energy, as the benefits are plentiful to the school, its students and staff, and the environment—even more so with UCT, as the array is helping to power Bourne’s Recreation Authority as well.”
“Green Seal was pleased to initiate and co-develop this project with Solect for UCT,” said Heather Twiss, President of Green Seal Environmental. “As a locally owned firm in Bourne, it’s exciting offer renewable energy solutions for UCT in an environment where students can also learn from these emerging technologies on campus.”
News item from Solect