Holgate students learn about solar array under construction at their school
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Jason Alphenaar (back), project development manager for Inovateus Solar of South Bend, Ind., answers questions Tuesday from sixth grade students in Amy Ellerbrock’s science class about the solar array that is nearing completion on the grounds of Holgate Local Schools.
HOLGATE — Since the middle of September, a solar array field has been under construction on the grounds of Holgate Local Schools. The project, which features nearly 650 panels and is expected to generate 238 kilowatt hours at its peak, is anticipated to be completed in mid-November.
On Tuesday, sixth-grade students at Holgate in Amy Ellerbrock’s science class were given a tour of the solar array by Jason Alphenaar, project development manager from Inovateus Solar of South Bend, Ind.; Dan Klear, owner of Superior Energy Solutions of Ottawa; and Logan Pant, marketing coordinator and sales contract manager at AP Alternatives of Ridgeville Corners.
All three have been working on the project in a different capacity under the direction of EnTrust LLC, of Hamilton, Ind., which is paying for the installation and maintenance of the array for the next 25 years.
“We’ve been learning about renewable resources, and coming out here to learn about the array fits right in with what we’re doing,” said Ellerbrock. “The kids were very excited about seeing the project. They wanted to know what it looked like, how big it was, and how much it cost. The kids wrote down questions they wanted to ask, and some of them were very, very good. You just don’t see a lot of solar fields in this area, although more are being built.”
Ellerbrock shared that following the tour and question-and-answer session with Alphenaar and Klear, the class would discuss what they learned and why solar energy is a renewable resource. Each student would then write a paragraph about what they learned from the tour.
During the tour, Alphenaar walked the students around the array, and answered several questions that ranged from how the solar field worked, how many panels were in the field, to questions about his job.
When asked by a student how long it takes to build a solar field, Alphenaar replied, “We started building this one in mid-September, and it should be finished by mid-November.” Alphenaar shared how many panels were in the field at Holgate, and how much energy in kilowatt hours it should provide for the school.
Another student asked what happens to the school at night, to which Alphenaar stated, “The school still has power at night, it’s just drawing from grid like it did before the solar panel was built. About 75 percent of the school’s electricity will be supplied by the panels, with the other 25 percent from the grid.”
Alphenaar was asked if his company paid well and if he liked his job, to which he answered, “It pays the bills, and yes, I love my job.”
When asked by another student if the solar field will give the school better WiFi, Alphenaar answered, “Unfortunately no, it won’t.”
There were questions about residential solar panels in which Alphenaar was unable to answer, such as, “How much does one solar panel cost?” and “How many solar panels can fit on a house?”
Klear, whose company deals in residential solar solutions, was able to answer both questions.
“A solar panel can cost anywhere from $50 to $300, and I’ve seen anywhere from 12 to 60 panels on a house, depending on its size,” said Klear. “My company does projects mostly in northwest Ohio, but we’ve gone as far as Jackson, Mich.”
Following the tour, Alphenaar shared that his company oversaw the project under the direction of EnTrust, LLC; Klear shared that his company oversaw the electricians for the project from County Electric of Ottawa; and Pant shared that his company provided the racking and did the panel installation.
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