A new 1.5 megawatt (MW) solar project alongside Mohonasen High School is allowing the Mohonasen Central School District to tap into a new renewable power source while reducing energy costs and helping in the fight against climate change. The array, the largest installed to date by the New York Power Authority (NYPA), supports Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's nation-leading Green New Deal, which puts New York State on the path to carbon neutrality and mandates that 70 percent of the state's energy come from renewable sources by 2030.
"The Mohonasen school district is stepping up as a community leader in New York's effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build a cleaner, more resilient and affordable energy system statewide," said Gil C. Quiniones, president and CEO of NYPA. "The district's array is the largest installed by NYPA and illustrates our joint commitment to sustainability and clean energy technology. Students are our future and helping them learn about the benefits of going green now will help ensure a healthy environment for generations to come."
The solar array, which includes 4,446 modules and covers approximately six acres of land, sits between the school's Center for Advanced Technology and the New York State Thruway. The array is expected to generate approximately 1,918 megawatt hours of power annually. The ground-mounted system is anticipated to save the district more than $50,000 and offset more than 1,356 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year; the equivalent of removing more than 288 cars from the road. See photo here.
Superintendent of Schools Shannon Shine said the solar array will directly benefit student education at Mohonasen.
"The new solar array provides a tangible opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to our community and to our students," Shine said. "Soon, teachers and students will have live' access to electricity generation data from our array. Instead of learning about something happening remotely, Mohonasen students will learn about solar power right in our own backyard. It's Mohon Pride in action."
