By JULIE CROTHERS BEER julie.beer@goshennews.com
Solar panel projects
Solscient Energy co-founder Granger Souder spoke to Goshen school board members Monday to share preliminary plans for solar panels to be installed on portions of the roofs at Waterford Elementary School and Goshen High School.
The two Goshen school buildings were selected by NIPSCO from a pool of more than 70 applicants for the project.
The solar energy firm, based in Ohio, will lease roof space from the school corporation for $4,000 per roof for 15 years and will provide a one-time payment of $7,000 per roof once construction has been completed.
Souder estimated that over the next 15 years, the school corporation will earn approximately $134,000 as a result of the partnership.
The equipment will be owned and operated by Solscient Energy and there will be no maintenance for Goshen Community Schools, Souder said.
Installation of the panels will take place this summer and is expected to take approximately three weeks.
Work at Waterford Elementary will begin May 31 and conclude June 17 and the Goshen High School project will begin June 6 and is expected to be completed by June 23.
Solscient Energy is a member of IndianaDG.