Glen Urquhart School is launching a new energy initiative with the installation of solar panels that will dramatically reduce its overall energy usage.
Glen Urquhart is one of the only schools on the North Shore to install such a large solar venture. The new 55-kilowatt system supplied and installed by Solect Solar will provide 36 percent of the schools overall electricity and avoid 105,000 pounds of Co2 emission, which is equivalent to six homes or greenhouse gas emissions from nine cars, and the amount of carbon sequestered annually from ten acres of pine forest.
Glen Urquhart sees this project as an excellent opportunity to educate students and the community about energy usage and the environment. The system will have a weather station with a detailed real-time monitoring system installed in the school. The project will be incorporated into Glen Urquhart’s science curriculum, expanding studies covering a variety of environmental initiatives and topics including, weather, specific projects in the school’s greenhouse and raised-bed gardens, composting, recycling and apiology.
Glen Urquhart School has always been at the forefront of education regarding environmental issues. Ultimately, we hope this system will allow us to reduce our operating costs, while also fulfilling our educational mission”, said Head of School, Dave Provost.
The solar panels have been installed on the roof of the school’s gymnasium and theatre, adjacent to the GUS greenhouse.
Glen Urquhart School, an independent K-8 day school in Beverly, MA, offers innovative teaching and a strong core curriculum, providing students with the academic readiness to meet the demands of the most rigorous high schools and colleges, and the global perspective to succeed in the world beyond. Through their work with various world organizations and experts in education, such as Harvard Project Zero, The Food Project, and NPH Orphanages throughout Central America, Glen Urquhart delivers world-class academics and a world-wise curriculum in an atmosphere of individualized support and care. GAIN@GUS is a program that provides free academic and recreational summer enrichment to talented students in the city of Beverly and surrounding areas: http://gus.org.