School District Installs Solar Arrays at All Five Schools

The Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District has almost completed its project to install solar arrays at each of its schools. Through a performance contract between the regional school committee and the Trane Corporation, there is no cost to taxpayers in either town for the project. “We continue to find efficiencies within our budget to offset costs to our taxpayers in our district. In very difficult budgetary times it is important to show our citizens that we continue to do our due diligence to keep costs manageable,” Superintendent Anthony Azar said in a letter to the community.

The energy savings during a 30-year period is expected to be nearly $5 million and the arrays will provide 75 percent of the total electricity usage for the entire school district.  “The district will receive Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs) that are projected to total $5,958,467 for the 30 year period. Thus, these cost savings and SRECs are the funding source for the solar arrays. Therefore, bypassing you the taxpayer,” Azar explained.

The solar arrays at the middle and elementary schools in both towns are complete and ready for operation. The arrays at the high school are expected to be operational by mid-June.

In addition to the cost savings, the solar arrays also provide lighting to the schools’ parking lots which enhances security. Students will also be able to monitor the cost savings and energy use in their classrooms through dashboards available on the network.