TIPP CITY, Ohio, Oct. 30, 2014 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — The Adams County Ohio Valley School District will soon harvest most of its electricity from the sun as part of an energy conservation project it has undertaken with Energy Optimizers, USA. The planned photovoltaic solar array, in combination with several other energy saving measures, is expected to net the school district $259,330 annually in utility savings.
Improvements will be made to all seven of the district’s buildings, including the Ohio Valley Career Technology Center.
In partnership with Energy Optimizers, USA, the district will:
* Install a 535 kW solar photovoltaic array, which is expected to provide the majority of the district’s electricity;
* Overhaul the CTC’s boiler plant with new, energy efficient equipment;
* Upgrade the CTC’s fuel supply from oil to cleaner-burning propane;
* Replace interior lighting with more efficient lamps and remove unneeded lamps to cut waste;
* Replace exterior lighting with LED technology to improve energy efficiency while enhancing building safety, appearance and security;
* Install occupancy sensors to reduce wasted electricity;
* Install advanced energy management controls to provide real-time, web-based monitoring and management of the district’s HVAC systems;
* Install energy-saving features to the kitchen exhaust fans and coolers.
The project is expected to begin in the near future and be wrapped up by late Spring 2015. Projected energy savings are guaranteed for three years, and the payback for the upgrades is just under 12 years. Funding is provided through the Ohio School Facilities Commission’s House Bill 264 program, enabling the district to make these cost-cutting improvements at no expense to taxpayers.
“Solar power will allow us to save on utility costs by generating our own electricity,” said Superintendent Rodney Wallace. “Every dollar that we save on our utility bills is a dollar that can be spent on things more directly related to education. Ultimately, this benefits our greatest resource: our students.”
Fully owned by the school, the solar array could do double duty by generating revenue if the school opts to sell solar renewable energy credits. Upgrading the fuel supply from oil to propane will save money by cutting down on long-term maintenance and cleaning costs.
“Projects like these help schools cut their utility costs, often by a significant amount,” said Bob Hausmann, Director of Operations for Energy Optimizers, USA. “But there’s more to it than just that. Energy conservation projects often have a multiplier effect that comes from simply using more reliable and efficient equipment. Ohio Valley/Adams County CTC will also save money by reducing long-term maintenance and replacement costs, and may even be able to generate new revenue through the solar array.”
The partnership also includes the resources to launch a Green Team, an energy education effort that Energy Optimizers, USA promotes in all of its school-related energy conservation projects. In addition to funding the team for two years, Energy Optimizers, USA, will provide Ohio Energy Project academic materials that are aligned to Ohio’s academic content standards. Green Team members will take part in STEM-related activities that are focused on energy conservation, while encouraging their peers to become more environmentally conscious.
About Energy Optimizers, USA:
Energy Optimizers, USA works with Ohio school districts and government agencies to implement energy savings opportunities to reduce operational costs, including lighting retrofits, renewable energy projects (wind and solar), HVAC retrofit projects, building automation retrofits and energy education programs.
To learn more about Energy Optimizers, USA, visit their website at http://energyoptusa.com/ or call them at (937) 877-1919.
Published on CaliforniaNewswire.com Thu, 30 Oct 2014 :: NEWS SOURCE: Energy Optimizers, USA :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (who is solely responsible for its accuracy) by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®.
