Tech School Proposes Solar Panels on Wetlands Institute as Project

STONE HARBOR MANOR — All that’s needed is sunshine, $50,000, willing students from the county Technical High School, help from the I.B.E.W. and fish in Wetlands Institute aquariums will breathe better. To top it all, the institute will cut its electric bill.
Admittedly, there are loose ends — and funding — to be finalized, but the proposal was pitched on Sept. 15 by George “Rusty” Miller, director of Adult/Continuing Education, to the district Board of Education at its monthly meeting.
Miller’s idea is contained in a proposal to the Atlantic Cape May Workforce Investment Board (WIB) seeking $50,000 to fund “educational training of our students and the electrical components associated with a 5,000-watt, rooftop solar photovoltaic system to be installed at the Wetlands Institute
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That unique, non-profit educational facility on the Middle Township marshes will be the focal point of attention this weekend as it hosts the 27th annual Wings and Water Festival.
Solar electricity would “reduce the electrical needs to support filtration systems that keep numerous fish tanks operative 24/7 at the institute,” the proposal stated.
Also partnering with the Technical School in the ongoing project would be local architectural firm The Design Collaborative (Deco), and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 351 from Atlantic County.
Miller said the engineering work would be completed at no cost by The Design Collaborative of Court House, working with Dr. Robert Elder. He is a retired Middle Township school superintendent, and an active institute volunteer.
The firm would design a series of 22 solar panels, a portion of which would be removed and re-assembled for continuing educational purposes.
The Technical School would provide instruction regarding “grid-tied solar photovoltaic systems” to high school and adult evening school classes from September 2009 through the first week of April 2010.
The school “plans to enroll 30 adult students 915 in the fall 2009 semester and 15 in the winter-spring semester for the eveing school training course, Introduction to Grid-Tied Solar Photovoltaic Systems.
During the last two weeks of April, high school and adult students who volunteer would link with members of I.B.E.W. Local 351 to install the solar system atop the institute.
Part of the project would include installation of a kiosk at the institute “interfaced with a computer system at the Cape May County Technical School and other partners to allow individuals on site or at the respective school to monitor the efficiency of the solar panels.”
At the school in Crest Haven, kiosk information would benefit students in pre-engineering, heating, cooling, plumbing and electrical, natural science technology, math and science classes, Miller wrote.
If all goes as planned, the solar panels would generate savings of $925 per month off the institute’s electric bill, as well as Solar Renewable Energy Credits of some $3,000 annually.
Those energy credits would be split “50/50 and reinvested into the project as well as into the…school’s renewable energy program’s teaching aids for in-class student support.”
The Wetlands Institute, with its share, would purchase additional solar panels and installation supplies. The school’s Heating, Cooling, Plumbing, Electrical class would purchase solar education teaching aids to assist students to become more proficient in their solar panel installation skills.
It is expected that the agreement between the school and institute would last “a minimum of five years with an open option to extend the agreement. An open invitation to visit the Wetlands Institute and review the solar energy array will be open to all project partners,” the proposal states.
The Introduction to Grid-Tied Solar Photovoltaic Systems course is eight weeks in duration. Over 16 hours, it will cover solar energy, how solar technology is used, economics of solar energy, system design and sizing, installation practices and hands-on installation of inverter, racking and modules.
That same course will be presented to high school levels two and three year (juniors and seniors) in Heating, Cooling, Plumbing, Electrical students during day classes in preparation for the April 19-30 installation at the Wetlands Institute, according to the proposal.
Students, both day and evening, who successfully complete the course will receive a certificate of course completion.
Those students will have an opportunity to receive I.B.E.W. apprenticeship orientation information and employment opportunities will be shared with the adults in conjunction with the Atlantic-Cape May One Stop Center referrals.
While funding is being sought for the initial project, the renewable energy educational program will continue at the school and institute for at least five years.
“Through student training for employment opportunities in the next generation of clean energy and educating the public regarding the benefits of ‘green’ energy, the partnership program in solar energny production will provide one of the many cornerstones needed in our state’s effort for a 20 percent reduction in fossil fuel energy consumption by 2020,” the proposal concludes.
Contact Campbell at (609) 886-8600 Ext 28 or at: al.c@cmcherald.com