NCCVT celebrates $10.5 million energy initiative

NCCVT’s new energy efficiency project could cut the district’s carbon footprint by up to 25%. (All photos from Jarek Rutz/Delaware LIVE News)

The superintendent of a school district believes a new energy initiative, funded by more than $10 million, will benefit not only the children today, but the community as a whole moving forward.

“This is really about generations to come, and us protecting what we have for others, and us respecting nature and respecting where we are so joyful to be every day of our lives,” said Joseph Jones, superintendent of the New Castle County Vocational Technical School District at a ribbon cutting ceremony at Middletown’s St. Georges Technical High School Wednesday.

The district received $10,453,411.71 in the form of loans and rebates from the state’s Energize Delaware’s Solar for Schools grant program to install three arrays of solar power at St. Georges Technical High School .

The loan will be repaid through the money we save in energy costs.

Energy savings

The St. Georges solar project totals 750kW, and other energy efficiency upgrades across the district include updated LED lighting, building envelope improvements, water conservation efforts and boiler replacement.

It also will cut New Castle County Vo-Tech’s carbon footprint by up to 25%.

“The annual environmental impact of this solar array equal avoided greenhouse gas emissions from 187 vehicles driven for one year, avoided CO2 emissions from 103 homes and their energy use for one year, and the equivalent to the carbon sequestration by 13,019 trees that have grown for 10 years,” said Sen. Stephanie Hansen, D-Middletown, who is the chair of the Senate Environment, Energy & Transportation Committee.

Jones admitted that he and the leaders of the project were concerned that the panels would detract from the aesthetic of the building, but that having them on actually enhances the look.

The several columns of panels are situated on two separate buildings of the campus as well as a section of them in an open field behind the school.

Yvette Santiago, the district’s board president focused her speech on the employment opportunities this partnership opens up for students.

“The most important part is that we know our students in vo-tech ultimately will graduate and go on to work with these amazing partners that have been a part of our school district,” she said.

Energize Delaware Executive Director Drew Slater said this program is growing and had three projects last year totaling $31 million, which have been successful.

He said he was incredibly impressed by the large number of district students who attended a recent career fair, and he was equally impressed by the amount of skill-training opportunities the district has.

“We can’t reach our state, nation or global goals without the future,” he said. “I was so impressed with them, they were engaged, they asked questions, they were knowledgeable.”