December 20, 2016
Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical High School (UCT), a public vocational-technical high school in Bourne, MA, partnered with Solect Energy of Hopkinton, MA and Green Seal Environmental of Sagamore Beach, MA to develop and install a 663 kilowatt (kW) solar canopy in the school’s existing parking lot. The parties involved in the project met yesterday at Upper Cape Tech’s campus to celebrate the culmination of the project. Its construction marks the largest canopy in both Green Seal and Solect’s portfolio to date, and one of the largest installs on a high school campus in the state.
In addition to powering the school, the Bourne Rec Authority will also be drawing power from the solar array, which will provide meaningful savings over their current costs. The array became a reality thanks to a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Solect Energy.
UCT has 725 students with thirteen areas of vocational study. The school offers traditional vocational programs in the areas of plumbing, electrical, carpentry, health careers, information technology, marine services, automotive technology, collision repair and cosmetology. As well expanding their technical program offerings in the areas of engineering technology, environmental science and horticulture/landscape contracting. The newly constructed solar canopy will not only increase the school’s current sustainability efforts, but also enhance its curriculum by showcasing renewable technology in a live setting to the students and staff.
The school has an Environmental Science & Technology technical program in place, which is a curriculum centered on protecting the environment through the use of science, engineering, conservation, communication, and economics. With the newly installed solar canopy, UCT will be able to integrate the array into the science program and directly enhance its students’ learning experience with renewable technology.
“We are thrilled about the addition of the new solar canopy to our school,” said Bob Dutch, Superintendent at UCT. “The solar array marks a new venture for Upper Cape Cod Tech’s students and staff, who will be able to utilize the technology as part of their curriculum. We are especially thankful to Solect for enabling our school to experience significant savings on our energy costs.”
Upper Cape Cod Regional Tech worked with Green Seal Environmental to develop, design and permit the array, in collaboration with Solect who financed and constructed the system through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), Solect owns and operates the solar array, and sells the power generated back to UCT at a reduced, fixed rate for the duration of the agreement. The entire project was completed and commissioned at zero cost to UCT and the clean energy provided to them and the Bourne Rec Authority will reduce their current energy costs.
“It was a pleasure partnering with Upper Cape Cod Tech on this project,” said Ken Driscoll, CEO at Solect Energy. “It is a wonderful thing to provide schools with solar energy, as the benefits are plentiful to the school, its students and staff, and the environment—even more so with UCT, as the array is helping to power Bourne’s Recreation Authority as well.”
“Green Seal was pleased to initiate and co-develop this project with Solect for UCT,” said Greg Wirsen, Executive Vice-President of Green Seal Environmental. “As a locally owned firm in Bourne, it’s exciting to offer renewable energy solutions for UCT in an environment where students can also learn from these emerging technologies on campus.”
About Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical High School
Established in 1964, Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical High School is a public vocational-technical high school in Bourne, Massachusetts. The school serves more than 700 students from five nearby communities located in the Upper Cape region of Cape Cod in 13 vocational areas of study. Our mission is to educate a diverse student population in order to actualize their personal, social, academic, and technical potential within a collegial learning community. We are committed to developing students who enter the workforce prepared for change, with employability skills that can be transferred and adapted as technology advances. For more information, visit http://www.uppercapetech.com/.
About Green Seal Environmental
Green Seal Environmental Inc. (GSE) is a multi-disciplined firm established in 1997 with the goal of providing our clients with the most comprehensive professional environmental, engineering and renewable energy consulting services in New England. GSE is a Massachusetts SDO Certified DBE/MBE/WBE company which employs a full staff of LSPs, Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, Geologists, Scientists and professional staff. GSE is one of a select few firms in the northeast, experienced with proven success developing turnkey renewable energy projects from cradle to commissioning. With the obstacles and challenges of developing viable energy production from renewable sources in today’s uncertain economy and marketplace, energy developers, utilities and investors need an experienced partner. Green Seal has the skill-set, knowledge, and experience to understand what is necessary and required to site, design, permit, build, and maintain economically and environmentally feasible projects on time and under budget.
