More schools install solar panels to tap California's sunshine and reduce energy costs. But among the snags are predictable complaints about aesthetics and an unexpected directional mixup.
April 16, 2012 - To plug in to solar energy, you need photovoltaic cells, controllers, inverters, combiner boxes and plenty of copper wiring.
Oh yes — and a compass.
Workers at Valencia High School found that out when they installed solar power arrays facing the wrong way.
The 4,815-panel project is just one of an increasing number of solar arrays springing up on campuses across the state as financially strapped school systems try to save billions in electricity costs. But tapping into the sun can be trickier than it looks, schools are discovering.
At Valencia High, a subcontractor apparently misread plans when bolting down some panels.
"They used a crane to pick them up and do a 180-degree spin," explained Gail Pinsker, spokeswoman for the William S. Hart Union High School District. "They were aimed wrong."
The repair job was free. So is the 7.3-megawatt system being installed by PsomasFMG. In exchange for use of the equipment, the Hart district is obligated to buy electricity from the private company, at a discounted rate, for 20 years.
After that, the company will remove the panels or extend the agreement. The equipment's typical lifespan is 25 years, said Paul Mikos, executive vice president of the firm. read more>>>
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