Independent Neighborhood News & Talking Points
24 Sep
It’s either the secret hideout for the next James Bond villain … or something really cool happening on the WG Middle School and High School sports fields.
The co-located campus for grades 6-12 hosts all of the obvious sports-related activities, but over the last few years, the San Jose Unified School District has been adding fancy electronics, too. In addition to revamping the playing surface, the space also boasts stadium lights and even a fake tree that doubles as a cell phone tower.
Next up: construction of Solar Panels. As part of its green initiative announced last year, the District is installing solar panels all around the campus in Willow Glen:
California’s San Jose Unified School District is joining the green movement by unveiling what it says may be the largest solar power and energy-efficient programs in U.S. K-12 education.
The program … includes the construction of solar arrays on the school roofs and parking canopies, and will initially generate two megawatts of power, eventually rising to five meagawatts. Over the 25-year lifespan of the project, the district expects to save $25 million in energy costs and reduce its utility power demand by 25 percent. Overall, the district estimates it will cut the equivalent of 37,500 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
The panels installed at WGMS will produce 765kW in elctricity, and offset 49% of the total electrical consumption on site with its solar power. District wide, it’ll be a 25% reduction in the demand for utility power, and the 37,500 tons of reduced emissions is equivalent to planting 400 acres of trees.
The project will eventually include curriculum enhancements, too, including focus on solar power and engineering. And teachers from local elementary schools are looking forward to installations at their sites, too.
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