Plano Senior High School
2200 Independence Parkway
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Plano Senior High School’s 6 kW solar array is expected to generate 7,100 kWh of pollution-free energy each year, avoiding an estimated 8,200 pounds of carbon dioxide. That’s like not driving 9,100 miles!The PSHS Environmental Club will have students at the solar array to inform visitors about the installation and to answer any questions. |
Directions
The solar arrays are located in the center of campus between the Building B2 annex and the athletics building. To park and to see the arrays, drive north on Independence Parkway from W. Park Blvd. Turn right immediately after the second school building (Building B science & math). Follow the drive east along the north side of building B and then south under the skywalk into the campus center circle drive. From there look for signs for parking. The solar arrays will be visible on the east side of the circle. See the map for details.
Renewable energy features
Solar PV
kW: 6 kW
Installation date: December 2013
Installer/contractor: Native (www.buildnative.com)
Donor: Green Mountain Energy Sun Club (www.greenmountainenergy.com/sun-club)
Equipment
Ground mounted array with 24 250 W PV modules, each with an Enphase micro-inverter.
Energy Monitoring
Installation date: December 2013
Equipment: eGauge (currently no public monitoring access)
Donor: Pecan Street, Inc. (www.pecanstreet.org)
Green features
- CFL lighting throughout the campus
Host Comments
The PSHS Environmental Club will have students at the solar array to inform visitors about the installation and to answer any questions.
Plano Senior High School Incorporates Renewable Energy into Everyday Conversations with High-Visibility Array
A two-time National Blue Ribbon School, and a Texas Exemplary School, PSHS has a long history of academic excellence and innovative programs. And now thanks to a $20,000 donation from the Sun Club, the grounds of the campus also features a pole-mounted 6-kilowatt solar array. Not only will it help reduce the school’s energy bill and environmental footprint, but thanks to a robust monitoring system donated by the Pecan Street Inc., the array will be also be utilized in the classroom, too. The array is expected to generate 7,100 kilowatt-hours of pollution-free energy, avoiding an estimated 8,200 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2), each year. That’s like not driving 9,100 miles!
The real excitement for the school lies in the possibilities this will bring in terms of education. The students will be able to track and analyze their own energy use at the school and see the impact of the solar panels in real time and see the benefits of solar energy and energy conservation. The staff believes that any changes that the solar installation can make in the students’ thinking on campus will have a compounding influence in the community after they leave here. Said one staff member, “We hope that the school district will look to the future and move to install additional panels at the school and throughout the district to help reduce energy use and save money.”