Unseen Efficiency Effort at Lake Region

In the basement of Lake Region one classroom space is used for wood shop, welding, horticulture and alternative energy classes. Are run by solar power from solar panels on the maintenance shed roof. This includes a classroom space, a wood shop, and a space for hydroponics and tilapia fish. 

The solar panels were installed by Lake Region in 2020 with the idea to use the data from the solar panels as a learning material for the alternative energy class so the class could look at solar power and information about the solar panels at the school. It was gained through federal money and it was about $30,000 according to Principal Andre Messier. 

The solar setup is from Green Mountain Solar. There is little to no information on the exact usage and other graphs and data to understand the specific amount of electricity that the solar panels are creating. One piece of data is that For the year until the end of February 2022 the solar panels had created 268 kWh of electricity compared to the school overall using 20,860 kWh in February of 2021.  Tim Gustafson-Byrne is the horticulture, wood shop, and the alternative energy teacher. He said that there is little information about the electricity the solar panels are creating, and is frustrated with this because it makes it more difficult to have the solar panels be used in the classroom for learning material. Expanding the amount of solar panels the school that the school board has discussed and barriers include cost and space.