School Solar Electric Installation Project Profile
Liberty School is generating its own electricity from sunlight thanks to its 44.7 kilowatt solar installation. Located in West Petaluma, CA, the school’s solar photovoltaic array will reduce their carbon footprint and save thousands of dollars in energy costs for years to come.
The system spans over 2,600 square feet on multiple rooftops, specifically designed by local architect Dan Hardin to accommodate solar.
Enphase Energy microinverters, donated by the Petaluma-based worldwide leader in microinverter technology, will work individually with the system’s 149 LG solar panels to ensure maximum energy production. The school received approximately $24,000 in rebates — one of the last California Solar Initiative rebates available before the program expired.
The system will power classrooms and administrative offices, providing about 70 percent of the school’s annual electrical needs by generating approximately 66,000 kilowatt hours of clean energy annually — enough each day to power over 20 average homes. The amount of carbon offset by the PV array is equivalent to removing 29 tons of harmful greenhouse gases annually. Over the next 30 years, the air pollution saved will be comparable to eliminating nearly 1.7 million miles of driving or the amount roughly 9 acres of trees could remove.
Customer Profile
Liberty School, nestled in the rural, dairy ranching area of Petaluma, 50 miles north of San Francisco in Sonoma County, serves pre-k through sixth grade students. Founded in 1857, Liberty School is the oldest school in continuous operation at the same site, with the same name, in Sonoma County. Liberty is the community hub where families meet and build relationships. Many families have been attending Liberty School for generations.
“We are very excited to finish our project with SolarCraft and Enphase Energy and begin saving our local community thousands of dollars that can be better used to educate the students of the Liberty Valley.”
~Christopher Rafanelli, Superintendent/Principal Liberty School
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