Nature’s Classroom to Generate 94% of its Electricity From Renewable Energy

CHARLTON, Mass. - April 15, 2015 - PRLog -- Crews from New England Clean Energy began installing two solar energy systems with a combined 63 kilowatts (kW) of capacity at Nature’s Classroom’s main campus today. When the new systems begin producing electricity, 94 percent of the electricity consumed at the 500-acre Charlton facility will come from renewable energy sources. Nature’s Classroom already has 90 kW of solar energy capacity and a 100-kW wind turbine at the Charlton location.

Nature’s Classroom’s main campus has two conference centers, dormitories for 300 people, indoor classrooms, meeting rooms, a dining hall, gymnasium, and more than 500 acres of woodlands, wetlands, streams and fields.

Today, the facility generates 60 percent of its electricity from a wind turbine and two other solar systems installed by New England Clean Energy, as well as one other small solar system. Those systems save the non-profit organization $2,800 on electricity per year. These savings will increase five-fold when Nature’s Classroom pays off the leases on the two new solar systems.

“Not using fossil fuels for our electricity needs is a positive statement from Nature’s Classroom” explained Dr. John Santos, director of Nature’s Classroom. “Getting most of our electricity from renewables fits perfectly with our mission. It speaks volumes to the hundreds of students and teachers that visit each year about our commitment to environmental education, and to practicing sustainable habits. These are messages we want to reinforce and have incorporated into our curriculum,” Santos said.

“Nature’s Classroom is an environmental leader in many ways. They are also smart business people, who are greatly reducing and stabilizing their operating costs, generating new income and strengthening their brand with solar, while living the values they teach,” said Jim Elkind, New England Clean Energy chief executive officer.

The new systems are a 50.3-kW system on the East Lodge, and a 12.7-kW system on the “Red House”. Both systems have SunPower 327-watt panels (154 and 39 respectively), and SolarEdge inverters with optimizer technology.

In addition, Nature’s Classroom has a 66-kW solar energy system installed in 2013, a 15-kW system installed in 2010, and a 9-kW system installed in 2006.

Financing for the systems is from Technology Credit Corporation (TCC), via a 15-year Purchased Power Agreement (PPA), under which TCC owns the system, and Nature’s Classroom purchases the electricity at a discount and keeps the rights to the Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs), allowing it to obtain income from selling in the Massachusetts market.

Nature’s Classroom is a non-profit environmental education organization with 13 sites in New England and New York. Since its creation in 1973, more than 750,000 elementary and middle school students have experienced Nature’s Classroom, most for five-day programs emphasizing scientific inquiry and critical thinking. Nature’s Classroom has been recognized for excellence by the National Science Teachers Association and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.naturesclassroom.org or call 800-433-8375.

Hudson, Mass.-based New England Clean Energy designs, engineers and installs solar electric systems for homes and businesses in Central Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. Since being founded in 2006, the company has installed 450 solar energy systems. MassSolarInfo.com recently awarded the company five honors, including Highest Customer Satisfaction among Massachusetts solar installers, and the company has more positive reviews on independent review site Solar Reviews than any other Massachusetts company. For more information, visit www.NewEnglandCleanEnergy.com or call 978-56-SOLAR.

Technology Credit Corporation (TCC) was founded in 1988 in the heart of the Silicon Valley.  Since its inception, TCC has financed over $2 billion of technology equipment. In 2007, TCC expanded into financing solar equipment. TCC distinguishes itself by being the only national solar financier for small commercial and non-profit customers with portfolio projects of over 300 projects from Hawaii to Massachusetts.