October Harvest at Ottoson: Sunshine

The Ottoson has something no other school in Town has, yet--SOLAR POWER!

The middle school building is using photons of sunlight to help power the building, thanks to the installation of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels on the roof this summer.

The current system generates 3.8 Kilowatts of electricity. For a building the size of Ottoson, this is a small system, but is about the size of a typical residential system.

This solar project was paid for by a state grant that came out of the MA Renewable Energy Trust. For every dollar Arlingtonians spent on purchasing green power for their own use, the Renewable Energy Trust matched those dollars and created an account for the Town. When that program ended, that account had accumulated a little over $20,000.

The solar panels direct the electrical current through wiring inside this exterior tube housing and directly into the wall on the top floor of the building.

Inside, the wiring leads directly to an inverter box with a meter, where the kilowatts of electricity can be measured. Fortunately, these system controls are located inside a classroom, providing easy access for students and educators to observe the power of the sun on any given day.

From the height of the Ottoson roof, there's a great view of another Town building's solar panels.

There's plenty of room for more solar panels to be added to the system, and many school buildings in Town have a similar flat roof design. When will more of Arlington's municipal buildings be harvesting this renewable, emissions-free source of energy? Ask your representative government officials next time you see them.