Piscataway Township Schools partnered with Greenskies clean focus, a provider of renewable energy solutions, will install a 1.67 MW rooftop solar panel portfolio in New Jersey. Greenskies installed more than 3,700 photovoltaic (PV) solar panels at seven schools and the district administration building.
The seven arrays installed in this portfolio are:
- Eisenhower elementary school (243 kW)
- Grandview Primary School (266.4 kW)
- Knollwood primary school (189.9 kW)
- Arbor High School (54 kW)
- ML King High School (271.35 kW)
- T. Schor Secondary School (270 kW)
- Piscataway High School (221.4 kW)
- Administration building (151.2 kW)
Greenskies financed the projects at no upfront cost to Piscataway Township Schools through a 15-year solar purchase agreement (PPA). This agreement allows the district to purchase the electricity generated at a fixed rate and outsource the operation and maintenance costs to Greenskies for the term.
Credit: Greenskies Clean Focus
“Greenskies is proud to partner with Piscataway Township Schools in their commitment to renewable energy and sustainability,” said Stanley Chin, president and CEO of Greenskies. “The installation of this solar portfolio marks an important step towards their goals, and we are pleased to play a role in reducing their carbon footprint. This initiative is an example of the positive impact organizations can have on the environment and their communities through clean energy solutions.”
Solar energy has been a key component of Piscataway Township Schools’ “Energy Savings Improvement Plan” (ESIP). In addition to solar panels, Piscataway schools have installed more efficient heating and cooling systems, LED lighting, light switches with motion detectors and better insulated windows and doors as part of the ESIP. The district expects the improvements will generate $18 million in savings over 18 years, which it will use to pay for the upgrades.
“It has been fifteen years since we started installing solar panels on our schools; we were really at the forefront of that initiative,” said David Oliveira, business administrator and board secretary of Piscataway Township Schools. “We have added a number of solar panels over the years and Greenskies has become an important partner. I would also like to thank our Board of Education for their commitment to using less energy and reducing our carbon footprint.”
The federal Energy Star program has recognized Piscataway Township Schools for their energy efficiency improvements for two consecutive years. In 2022, four Piscataway schools were designated as Energy Star Certified Buildings by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Then, in 2023, all ten district-owned school buildings were certified by the Energy Star program – more than any other school district in New Jersey.
On average, Energy Star-certified buildings and factories use 35% less energy, produce 35% fewer greenhouse gas emissions and are cheaper to operate than comparable buildings and factories.
“This is an incredible achievement for our district,” said Superintendent Frank Ranelli. “It is also a tribute to the years of hard work that our education and governance council has put into making our buildings more energy efficient, as well as the continued contributions of all our employees to making energy savings a priority. We are doing everything we can to do our part to protect the environment and public health while saving on energy costs.”
News item from Greenskies Clean Focus