LAWRENCE: Solar farm nearly complete at school

By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
   Nestled behind Lawrence Township’s Community Garden plots on Route 206 opposite Greenwood Avenue, The Lawrenceville School’s new solar farm is expected to be up and running — sunny days provided — next month, according to school officials.
   Work on the solar energy farm began in October, and crews are beginning to wrap up the project. Construction trailers and portable light poles have been in place on the land since the project got under way, but they will soon be removed.
   And although the construction equipment behind the Community Gardens plots can be seen by motorists and passersby, the solar panels will be virtually invisible because the terrain slopes downhill behind the Community Gardens.
   The solar farm occupies about 30 acres of a 286-acre farm that is part of The Lawrenceville School’s 650-acre campus.
   The 24,000 solar voltaic panels are expected to generate six megawatts of energy annually, which is enough to provide 90 percent of the school’s electrical needs. When it is finished, the solar farm will offset 5,300 tons of carbon dioxide, which is equal to removing 2,000 cars from the road.
   The solar panels have been installed on a tracking device that allows them to tilt and follow the sun — unlike a typical solar panel array, which is placed on a pole at a fixed angle. The panels have been designed to move with the sun, and may be positioned upright during a hailstorm or ice storm to prevent them from being damaged.
   The Lawrenceville School leased the 30-acre site to a solar company and received a power purchasing agreement, which locks the school into a low, fixed rate for electricity for the duration of the 20-year lease, school officials said.
   Once the solar farm is in operation, it is expected that the solar panels will produce more energy during the day than the school can use. Excess power will be purchased by PSE&G. After the sun goes down, the electricity will flow back to the school, officials said.
   Elizabeth Duffy, headmaster of The Lawrenceville School, is excited about the solar farm and its impact on the campus community. The private, co-educational boarding school has become a national leader among secondary schools for its commitment to sustainability, she said.
   ”This use of clean energy helps The Lawrenceville School fulfill its Green Campus initiative, which is a holistic approach to campus sustainability, and it will benefit the broader community outside of the school,” Ms. Duffy said.
   ”We are also looking forward to the many learning opportunities the solar farm will provide to our students and the local community. It will be exciting for us to welcome local school and community groups interested in learning more about alternative energy,” she said.