Power play: Ketron hopes to use solar, geothermal to go off the grid

Home | Back

February 4th, 2015 9:08 am by Rick Wagner

KINGSPORT A local school system is looking to cut grid electricity costs at one of its elementary schools to zero.

Sullivan Countys Ketron Elementary School in the Bloomingdale community soon may become energy self-sufficient, thanks to solar power coupled with its existing geothermal heating and cooling system.

If we add solar to that, its about to become utilities neutral for us, Director of Schools Jubal Yennie said.

Based on preliminary figures, the proposal and its local and grant funding of more than $500,000 combined would have a simple payback of 17.5 years into an expected 30-year life of the system.

Kingsports Dobyns-Bennett High School has solar cells atop the school that provide some lighting, and 20 Hawkins County schools have solar panels, but none of those provide all the electricity to operate a school building. In Hawkins, projected revenue from selling solar power over 20 years is $875,000.

At Ketron, a former middle and high school, the solar array would be built on the roof of the school.

The countys Board of Education Monday night voted 6-0 with one absent to approve applying for a Clean Tennessee Energy grant to fund almost half the cost of the Ketron Elementary Solar PV (photovoltaic) Pilot Project.

This proposed project would install a 175 kilowatt solar photovoltaic electrical power generation system at Ketron Elementary School, according to a summary provided to the BOE before its vote.

More here:
Power play: Ketron hopes to use solar, geothermal to go off the grid