Solar Panels
The Ritenour School District is reducing its carbon footprint by using renewable energy sources that will ultimately save the district money and help the environment. In 2015, all Ritenour schools were outfitted with solar panels. Every school entrance has a television monitor that displays photos of the school’s solar panels and information about daily energy outputs at each building.
Solar panels generate clean electricity without consuming fossil fuels such as coal, oil or natural gas. The solar panels on each school reduce the amount of electricity the district uses daily that is generated through the burning of fossil fuels.
“As an educational institution, it is important for us to model environmental stewardship for our students by exposing them to real life examples of clean energy,” said Mike Wieland, assistant to the superintendent of support services. “Teachers can use the data from our solar panels to teach students in all grade levels about greenhouse gasses and renewable energy.”
Through the Sunny Portal website, anyone can check daily solar panel statistics for any school in the district. The dashboard shows total energy output for the day, current power and carbon dioxide avoided at each school.
Check out current solar energy output levels at each school: