Sonoma County School Makes the Switch to Solar Power
Novato and Sonoma based SolarCraft announced the completion of a 59 kW solar electric system at Horicon Elementary School in Annapolis, CA, near the northern coast of Sonoma County. The new photovoltaic system will offset 99% of their 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. Horicon is one of many schools going solar and serving as stewards of sustainability and cornerstones of green initiatives that benefit their community.
Designed and installed by SolarCraft, the solar system consists of 190 Canadian Solar 310-watt solar panels, spanning over 3,928 square feet and providing 87,235kWh 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.
Horicon's solar power system will generate enough electricity to power over 14 average homes and will avoid production of almost 25 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year, which is the equivalent of removing 1.4 million miles of driving over the next 25 years. That's also comparable to the air pollution removed by over 5 acres of trees.
About Horicon School
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.
