Nevada unveils its largest school PV array

The largest private school in the US state of Nevada, Faith Lutheran Middle School & High School, has unveiled a 1.1MW PV array which is said to represent the state’s largest solar project at a school.

The PV system has been built on the school’s 15.8-hectare Las Vegas campus and is equipped with more than 4,000 PV modules provided by SolarWorld. The system was also designed and installed by the US solar manufacturer.

The school had originally turned to solar in 2011 when a 100kW rooftop PV array was installed atop a classroom and administrative building. In October 2012, more than 900kW of SolarWorld’s PV modules were installed on the rooftop of the school’s student centre, maintenance facility and a carport structure which provides space for 341 vehicles. The carport was custom-engineered by Bombard Renewable Energy.

Bombard Renewable Energy will own, operate and maintain the PV system for five years under a power purchase agreement with the school.

The solar array is expected to provide half of the school’s annual power demand and, in turn, help save around US$140,000 a year in utility costs.

The project was funded through NV Energy solar rebates and the Federal Renewable Energy Investment Tax Credit.

“This project helps reduce our energy costs and provide covered parking for our faculty and students, but more importantly, it allows Faith Lutheran to be among the leaders in clean energy in southern Nevada,” said Dr. Steve Buuck, Faith Lutheran’s Chief Executive Officer.

“Although Nevada’s massive utility-scale developments often grab the headlines, the state also ranks among the top 10 in the US for commercial solar installation,” Chris Brooks, Director of Bombard Renewable Energy added.

“Faith Lutheran School, with its dual emphasis on a financial and environmental bottom line, is representative of the kinds of businesses and institutions embracing solar in growing numbers across the Silver State.”