WACO School District is expected to reduce its electricity costs by 90 percent next school year by harnessing solar energy.According to superintendent Darrell Smith, they hope to have the secondary building in Wayland connected to a 400kW solar system before school starts in August.
Smith explains this project is being made possible through an agreement with WACO Solar LLC, a group made up of local investors. He says the investors will finance the construction of the solar farm and the district will lease it. After six years, the district will have the option to purchase it.
This past school year, a 250kW system was connected to the elementary school in Crawfordsville and a 50 kW system was installed next to the secondary building. When the 400kW system is connected, the $120,000 the district currently pays to power the two buildings is anticipated to drop to $18,000.