WEST ROXBURY, MA – November 1, 2012 – Roxbury Latin, the oldest independent boys’ school in the country, is working with Hopkinton-based Solect Energy Development to install a new 140 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) renewable energy system on the roof of its Albert H. Gordon Field House. Through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), Solect will provide electricity to Roxbury Latin at reduced rates, and after 15 years, Roxbury Latin will own the system outright.
Electricity generated from the 140 kW system – comprised of approximately 565 American-made panels – will be used to power the Gordon Field House as well as the McNay Wrestling Palaistra. Electricity generated in excess of what is required at those two facilities will be routed to the school’s HVAC system, further reducing the school’s energy costs. Solect managed the project end to end, from an initial feasibility assessment, through the design and engineering stage to installation. Solect will also provide ongoing monitoring and maintenance for the system.
Don Pellegrini, director of buildings and grounds at Roxbury Latin, has been in on the project from the start. “There is no capital outlay for the school,” Pellegrini said. “Solect provides materials and installation, and we lease to Solect the Gordon Field House roof. We pay Solect directly for the clean energy produced by the panels at a rate 35-percent lower than our utility. It has been a great project for Roxbury Latin.”
Projected savings in the first year are estimated at more than $5,000, and the School will save just under $100,000 over the 15-year lease term. When the 15 year lease expires, Roxbury Latin will own the system – and the energy it produces – outright.
The installation has also provided an addition to Roxbury Latin’s curriculum; an interactive kiosk located in the Bauer Science Center outside the Physics Lab will provide access to a continuous data stream measuring the solar panel output and also weather information from a rooftop weather station. Faculty members will tie the information gleaned from the solar PV system into the science curriculum to help students better understand the process behind solar energy.
“Roxbury Latin has been very forward-thinking in this process, and is embracing solar at a very fortuitous time in the industry,” said Alex Keally, business development partner at Solect. “Renewables represent more than half of new electrical generation globally. Roxbury Latin is on the cutting edge of something that will be mainstream in a few years.”
About Solect Energy Development, LLC
Solect is a full service solar photovoltaic (PV) project developer based in Hopkinton, MA. Solect’s turnkey solutions include: feasibility assessments, financial and incentive modeling, funding options, regulatory expertise, design and engineering, installation, and on-going management and maintenance. The company currently has 10 MW (megawatts) of systems completed and under development, with a primary focus on New England-based commercial, light industrial, and institutional property owners. Visit www.solect.com for more information.
