Horicon School Solar

School Solar Electric Installation Project Profile

Horicon is one of many schools going solar and serving as stewards of sustainability and cornerstones of green initiatives that benefit their community. As many educational facilities face diminishing funding, they can slash operating costs by lowering their electric bills with solar power.

The new photovoltaic system will offset 99% of Horicon's utility grid demand, essentially eliminating their electric bills and saving the school district thousands in utility fees every year.

The solar photovoltaic panels are ground mounted in a visible location at the front of the school, providing students a first-hand opportunity to see how sunlight is converted to electricity.

Designed and installed by SolarCraft, the solar system consists of 190 high efficiency 310-watt solar panels, spanning over 656,666 square feet and providing 87,235 kWh of clean, renewable electricity annually. Solar provides Horicon an effective long-term hedge against future utility rate increases and frees previous energy expenditures to go back towards education.

SolarCraft assisted the school with preparing The California Clean Energy Jobs Act (Proposition 39) application for a $75,000 grant. Under the initiative, roughly up to $550 million annually is available for appropriation by the Legislature for eligible projects to improve energy efficiency and expand clean energy generation in schools.

Customer Profile

Horicon Elementary School is a rural, one school district in the northwest corner of Sonoma County. The district is one of the largest geographically in the state and includes the coastal community of the Sea Ranch and Stewarts Point to the west; Annapolis and east along Skaggs Springs Road. Horicon has a K-8th population of 46 students. The Horicon Elementary School has 12 students for every full-time equivalent teacher, with the CA state average being 24 students per full-time equivalent teacher.