The Port Townsend School District celebrated the completion of a new rooftop solar array three months ahead of schedule.

A 99.6-kilowatt grid-tied solar photovoltaic system was installed on the roofs of both the main building and gym of Blue Heron Middle School, and was recognized with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, Nov. 28.

The $559,000 project accounted for 9.7 percent of the Port Townsend School District’s overall 2023-2025 capital projects levy.

In February of last year, Port Townsend voters approved a three-year capital projects levy for the school district, replacing the expiring levy to address ongoing capital projects and improvements that were not entirely covered by state revenues.

The project was also the result of the district entering into a contract with University Mechanical Contractors, working through the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services energy program, with Power Trip Energy Corp serving the locally based sub contractor who performed the work.

The installation saw 240 Maxeon 415-watt panels placed on the roof, thereby adding sun-generated renewable energy back into the local power grid, and affording students the opportunity to monitor its output throughout the day, via a display accessible in their classroom, according to Kai Wallin, community liaison for the Port Townsend School District.

Blue Heron Middle School science teacher Niall Twomey brought his eighth-grade students to the ribbon-cutting ceremony to learn more about the new solar panels, which they did by asking questions of the contractors and interacting with the computer display.

Twomey plans to incorporate the solar panels into lessons on electricity and environmental impact into his classroom curriculum.

Wallin said that the solar panel array connects to a portal called SolarEdge that teachers hope to access in the classroom to study the array’s energy output fluctuations throughout the day and night, as well as to determine how it reduces the school's dependence on fossil fuels.

“This was a really fun project for us,” said Steve Carr, co-founder and installation manager of Power Trip Energy Corp. “Fifteen years ago, we got a grant to install a 1-kilowatt solar array on the high school gym roof, which is producing clean energy every day. It is nice to see how the market has developed to the point where the school district could invest in this system on the middle school, (which) produces 100 times more energy each year.”

The Blue Heron Middle School solar array covers 15 percent of its power needs with a 99.6-kilowatt system made up of 240 panels generating 415 watts each, while the Port Townsend High School solar array covers 0.1 percent of its power needs, with 1-kilowatt system made up of six panels generating 170 watts each.

“Not only will this project generate clean energy for our power grid, it also teaches our students about the importance of sustainable energy sources,” said Andy Cochrane, president of Power Trip Energy Corp.

Speaking on behalf of not only Port Townsend High School graduates, but also parents of Blue Heron Middle School and PTHS students, Cochrane added, “I’m proud our company could support improving their schools, and increase renewable energy in our community at the same time.”

“I’m so excited to see the successful completion of this project,” said Justin Gray, director of maintenance and facilities for the Port Townsend School District. “It’s something that we’ve been talking about for a very long time. This is something that is positive for the school district and the broader community as well.”

“We’ve been working with (the) district on every campus now, either doing energy efficiency work or, in this case, putting these solar panels up,” said David McCaughey, senior business developer at University Mechanical Contractors. ”We’ve enjoyed working with the partners on the project, and are happy we could bring our innovative approach and expertise to this work.”

“Today we are seeing voter-supported levy dollars at work,” Port Townsend Schools Superintendent Dr. Linda Rosenbury said during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “These panels were funded by Port Townsend voters, as part of the school district’s levy process. One of the things the community really wanted was solar panels to reduce fossil fuels. This is one thing we can do to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.”

Other projects funded with capital levy dollars include improving disability access, technology device upgrades, and studying and preparing for a seismic retrofit at Port Townsend High School.