Unseen panels generate renewable energy for the school

At MA, the future of energy is shining bright, literally. With the recent installation of solar panels on the roofs of the D and E towers, MA is reaping the financial and environmental benefits of clean, renewable energy.

After years of careful planning and collaboration with Xcel Energy, MA is projected to save $9000 in the first year alone, with savings expected to grow significantly as the system pays for itself over the next few decades. Eventually, the system is expected to save $50,000 a year.

But the project isn’t just about cutting costs. The solar panels are also helping MA reduce its carbon footprint, eliminating the need for 200,000 pounds of coal annually, all while offering real-world educational opportunities for students to learn about renewable energy.

Despite some challenges, including ensuring their roofs were structurally sound and dealing with the occasional snow delay, school officials are confident the decision to go solar has been a good one and they’re encouraging other schools to follow suit. “It’s a great program,” said Chief Financial Officer Mike Huray. “And I would encourage other schools to do it, as long as their infrastructure allows it.” Xcel handles the maintenance and functionality of the panels.

“They handle all that,” said Facilities Director Don DuBois. “They monitor the system. So if something doesn’t look right, they’ll come out. We’re hands off. We just provide the space, the roofs, and they handle all the rest of it.”

[Go up on the roof to get a tour of the solar panels with Don DuBois.]

In addition to the monitoring, Xcel also provides regular performance reports to MA, ensuring that the system is operating at peak efficiency. These reports help the school stay on top of any potential issues before they become major problems, ensuring the long-term success of the project.

By offering real-time data and insights, Xcel enables MA to make proactive adjustments to optimize energy usage, reduce costs, and enhance sustainability efforts. This collaborative approach fosters a seamless partnership, allowing both parties to address challenges swiftly and maximize the system’s overall impact on the school’s operations.

Solar panels are made out of a semiconductor material, usually silicon, inside a metal frame in a glass casing. When this material is exposed to photons of sunlight, very small pockets of energy, it releases electrons and produces an electric charge.

This PV charge creates an electric current, specifically, a direct current or DC, which is captured by the wiring in solar panels. This DC electricity is then turned into alternating current, AC, by an inverter. AC is the type of electrical current used when you plug appliances into normal wall sockets.

Minnehaha’s system doesn’t include batteries, so electricity generated first goes to run the school itself in real-time, and the excess goes back into Xcel’s network to power other customers. At night and other times when little or no solar power is generated, the school draws electricity from Xcel in the normal way. A meter measures the overall energy produced and consumed; our electricity bill amounts to energy consumed minus solar energy produced, in terms of kilowatt hours.

Solar panels help combat climate change by providing a clean, renewable source of energy that reduces reliance on fossil fuels. By harnessing sunlight, they generate electricity without emitting greenhouse gases, thereby decreasing carbon footprints and air pollution.

Mike Huray, M.A.’s chief financial officer, answers questions about the new system

When was it installed? How big is it?

North Campus (211 panels) was just turned on in Oct 2024. South Campus (264 panels) was turned on Nov 2023. The 475 panels are 4’ x 6’, so the total array covers 11,400 square feet of roof space – but M.A. plans to triple its size in the next five to 10 years.

What is the environmental impact?

The solar panels will greatly reduce the school’s carbon footprint. The combined systems generate enough electricity to power 20 homes for one year. The energy produced from our system is the equivalent to the carbon sequestered by 1,500 tree seedlings grown for 10 years. The South Campus panels alone have saved more than 200,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions in just over a year.

How big will it be eventually?

We currently have systems installed on about 1/3rd of each campus. Some of the roofs are older so we held off on those for now. Once we replace those we will have a much larger system. So, in the next 5-10 years we plan to install the complete system.

Who are M.A.’s partners in the project?

M.A. vetted many solar companies and chose to work with Ideal Energies, which has installed more than 500 commercial systems, including 160 at Minnesota schools. Xcel Energy did the final inspection in order to turn it on. The arrangement is structured over 20 years, with zero cash outlay upfront. Ideal Energies also has a curriculum program so that students can learn more about renewable energy.

How much money will the school save?

Combined the North and South campus systems currently generate 218,000 kWh per year, so the system will bring M.A. savings of around $9K per year, progressively increasing each year up to year 20. After 20 years, MA will realize the full savings currently projected around $50K per year. When the full system is installed, it will substantially improve our energy savings to about $30K per year, then approximately $150K per year after year 20. Note: these panels are warrantied for 25 years. They last up to 35-40 years, with still around 80% effectiveness at that point.

Why can’t we see the system?

Panels are 4’ x 6’ installed at a 10 degree tilt, with a 10’ set back, so they aren’t visible from the ground. They are attached using a ballast system to avoid damaging the roofs. There is little to no maintenance that MA staff need to do.