Antonito Schools, Colorado

Bella Energy provided solar electric systems and on-line data monitoring systems for Guadalupe Elementary and Antonito High School in San Luis Valley to reduce electricity bills and to educate students about renewable energy using an on-line monitoring system for schools called Solar Schoolhouse.

View Solar Schoolhouse Here

Bella Energy partnered with EMC Engineers, which operates energy efficiency programs for the San Luis Valley School District. EMC arranged for a grant to pay for energy efficiency renovations, including the solar systems.

The students can analyze and compare their energy production to other schools around the country. The 7 kilowatt ballasted system on the elementary school has a weather station that feeds production and usage data to the Fat Spaniel monitoring program.

Bella Energy installed monitoring equipment for the 5 kilowatt system on the high school that ties directly into EMC’s building automation system. Electricity bills should decrease $60 per month at the high school and $80 per month at the elementary school.

The San Luis Valley has the strongest solar resource in the state. Plentiful high altitude sunshine is perfect for solar energy production and the area is already tied to Denver through the utility grid so power easily reaches consumers. In fact, one industrial solar power plant is already operating in this solar harvest valley, and several more are planned in the next few years.

Left photo credit Darcy Varney

“We should all be doing our part to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, and solar energy is the way to go here. As a school we want to set an example to the community and hopefully inspire them to install solar on their own houses. It’s easy because once a solar system is installed it really takes care of itself.”

Virgil Montoya

Maintenance Director

Guadalupe Elementary School

“The best part about this project is the educational aspect. Bella Energy hopes the Antonito kids will grow up excited and knowledgeable about renewable energy, especially since they have a lot of sunshine to harvest in the San Luis Valley.”

Andy Hoke

Project Manager

Tags: Project of the Month