The Somerset Berkley Regional School District has partnered with Solect Energy, the
state’s leading commercial-scale installer of solar energy systems, and PowerOptions,
the region’s largest energy buying consortium, to install a 348 kilowatt (kW) solar
energy system on the roof of its new regional high
state’s leading commercial-scale installer of solar energy systems, and PowerOptions,
the region’s largest energy buying consortium, to install a 348 kilowatt (kW) solar
energy system on the roof of its new regional high
school. The solar array is expected to cover up to 20 percent of the school’s annual
electricity use, and to save the school approximately $19,000 annually on its energy
expenses.
Somerset Berkley Regional High School has approximately 990 students with the
majority of students from the member towns of Somerset and Berkley, MA. In 2010, the
District entered into an agreement with the Massachusetts School Building Authority
(MSBA) to build an $80 million dollar new regional high school. The school opened in
September 2014.
“The District is continually looking for ways to reduce operating costs in order to shift
more resources to students,” said Lindsey Albernaz, Director of Business and Finance
for Somerset Berkley School District. “Utility costs are an expense that is constantly
fluctuating. Working with Solect, we were able to reduce operating costs without having
to pay the upfront costs of installation.”
“Utilizing PowerOptions, which undertook an extensive competitive solicitation, meant
that the district did not need to undertake our own costly and time consuming
procurement,” added Albernaz. In 2015, PowerOptions chose Solect Energy based in
Hopkinton, MA as the supplier for its Small Systems Solar Program.
The original building plans for the high school included solar panels, and the new school
was built with the necessary structural capacity and electrical service to support a large
array on the roof. However, the District could not move forward during construction with
purchasing and installing its own solar panels due to fiscal constraints. Committed to
pursuing solar, the District continued to explore alternative financing options, and
ultimately selected PowerOption’s solar program. Under the program, Solect installs,
owns, and operates the solar arrays on the school’s roof, and sells the power generated
at a fixed rate for a period of 20 years under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)
negotiated by PowerOptions.
“The solar system was installed at no cost to the taxpayers of Somerset and Berkley,
but will provide electric utility savings averaging $19,000 per year under the Power
Purchase Agreement between the district and Solect,” said Richard Peirce, Chairman of
the Somerset Berkley School Committee. “The aggregate savings over the life of the
agreement are estimated to be $340,000. In addition, our students will learn and
actually experience how we as a high school community are doing our part to protect
the environment. The district is now purchasing about 60 percent of its electricity
through solar production.”
“Solect Energy is delighted to partner with The Somerset Berkley Regional School
District,” said Matt Shortsleeve, Vice President of Development at Solect Energy. “The
District was committed to solar for its new high school at the earliest design stage.
Although solar had to be put on hold, the school didn’t lose sight of its goal of renewable
energy. And now that perseverance is paying off. The savings are significant, and the
students and teachers have a state-of-the-art solar system that they can use to
students and teachers have a state-of-the-art solar system that they can use to
supplement their curriculum in science, economics and sustainability.”
“At PowerOptions, we aim to support the public entities and nonprofits that are serving
our communities in part by making solar energy more accessible with offerings like our
Solar Program,” said PowerOptions President and CEO Cynthia Arcate. “In addition to
cost predictability and savings, Somerset Berkley Regional School District implemented
their solar project without the need for any upfront costs or ongoing maintenance
responsibilities.
