Phono Solar, a Bloomberg-rated Tier 1 PV Module Maker, today announces the commissioning of the Pflugerville School District solar project. The 1.94-MW project will achieve approximately $1 million in savings after accounting for the cost of the solar panels and eliminate more than 51,300 tons of carbon pollution over the systems’ lifetime. The project will power 11 school sites for the next 25 years with renewable, solar energy just outside of Austin, Texas.
Collectively, the combined system will generate more than 2.7 million kilowatt hours of renewable energy annually, enough to power more than 200 homes for one year. The District estimates they will avoid $6.9 million in electrical costs by producing their own electricity over the life of the project.
“The solar project is the biggest initiative the Pflugerville Independent School District has undertaken in terms of energy management and sustainability,” said Stephen Waldron, District Energy Manager. “The District is doing everything we can to reduce our operating expenses and lower taxpayers’ burden. Our solar project not only allows us to lower our operating costs, it also allows us to create a more sustainable learning environment for our students and staff while reducing the Districts’ overall environmental footprint. This project’s carbon savings is tantamount to planting more than 38,000 trees or removing 313 cars from the road annually. We’re proud to set an example of environmental leadership for our students and our community.”
The Austin City Council last year approved performance-based incentives for solar installations for the Pflugerville School District. The district received $3.9 million from Austin Energy’s incentive program for the project. Austin Energy encourages non-profits, including school districts, to participate in the program because they are ineligible for IRS benefits such as tax credits and accelerated depreciation due to their non-profit status.
The complex system of one ground mount, two rooftop, and eight hybrid rooftop and ground mount arrays were installed using 6,480 Phono Solar modules. The 300 Watt polycrystalline Diamond Series PS300P-24/T modules were ideal for the project due to their high quality, good value proposition, and flexibility to meet the project’s changing logistical demands.
“We were honored to be a part of this project. The Pflugerville School District is a model for school districts in Texas and across the country on their commitment to renewable energy and realizing substantial energy savings. Secondly, this project is a great learning tool for its students in science and economics”, said Bob Onofrey, Vice President Sales, Phono Solar North America.
— Solar Builder magazine
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