Sunrise Power Solutions installed currently the largest single-site solar project for a school district on Long Island, New York. Smithtown Central School District has recently unveiled its new 2-MW solar carport at Smithtown High School West. With 5,422 solar modules, this installation should generate 2.7 million kWh annually, which is enough to satisfy one-third of the district’s electricity needs.
This carport installation, which also features electric vehicle charging stations, is the culmination of a year-long, $23 million energy overhaul of school district buildings that state officials announced would cut traditional electricity demand by nearly 90%. This saves roughly $1 million annually in energy costs for the Smithtown District alone. The solar carport structure has been functional and operating since May 2021.
“The team at Sunrise is proud of what we’ve accomplished here, but the best part is knowing the money saved on energy will directly support the students here at the Smithtown District,” states Brian Chebuske, vice president of operations at Sunrise. “By cutting back energy costs, it’s really the kids who benefit most. And that’s what motivates us to take on these big challenges — big rewards for our community.”
News item from Sunrise Power Solutions
Solarman says
I look at this setup and see that it is designed on the assumption of an average of 4 sun hours a day. Which gets about 7.4MWh a day. I think of all of the shopping malls, large grocery stores that could have several MWp combined energy generation on top of the big box stores and all of the acreage of parking places that could be covered parking solar PV arrays. In the desert southwest, 4 sun hours would be a few weeks of Winter time and in the Summer could be closer to 8 usable sun hours every day. What is needed is more of these projects with large energy storage as part of the project.
Other articles and some of those written here have shown, in Commercial and Industrial, C&I enterprises, utility demand charges can add 50% cost to a monthly electric bill. The article here mentions this project can meet 33% percent of the District’s energy needs. With the ability to time shift energy use with an energy storage system, the school can become an actual stacked grid services provider and at the same time save up to 50% on monthly electric bills.