Solar energy coming to Swampscott schools

Construction will begin on solar projects at Swampscott Middle School and High School after an agreement was reached with Constellation Energy.

The solar panels, which are part of planned sustainability and cost-savings improvements at the two schools, will provide Swampscott School District long-term, fixed electrical power prices at less than projected market rates.  A 383.2 kW DC solar power system is planned at the High School and a 67.62 kW DC solar power system is planned at the Middle School.

Energy products and services provider Constellation Energy , through its retail energy business, will finance, own and maintain the solar power systems, and Swampscott School District will purchase all of the electricity generated by the solar panels under a 20-year power purchase agreement.  Johnson Controls, Inc. will provide engineering, procurement, and construction services for the solar installations.  As part of a separate energy performance contact for the town of Swampscott, Johnson Controls, Inc. will conduct energy efficiency upgrades at the schools.

“Dr. Celli and I have been working for more than a year to make this extremely important project a reality,” said Swampscott Town Administrator Andrew Maylor.  “This is part of our long-term goal to reduce our energy costs and thereby make the community more financially sustainable.”    Maylor continued, “we are proud to be a municipal leader in arena of renewable energy.”

"On behalf of the Swampscott Schools, I am excited to partner with the Town on such an important project that will impact the Town of Swampscott well into the future,” said Superintendent Dr. Lynne Celli.

The solar installations will be comprised of 1,960 roof-mounted photovoltaic crystalline panels. They are expected to generate approximately 530,580 kilowatt-hours of electricity in the first year.  The high school PV system is expected to provide electricity equivalent to roughly one-third of the school’s electrical consumption.

Generating the same amount of electricity using nonrenewable sources would result in the release of 366 metric tons of carbon dioxide, or the equivalent emissions from 71 passenger vehicles annually, according to U.S. EPA data.