Solar Power to Illuminate Manatee School of the Arts

The Brief

• The Manatee School for the Arts will shortly operate using solar energy.
• Teams are setting up solar panels, with the expectation that the school will experience an approximate 90% reduction in utility expenses.
• This is the biggest rooftop solar setup installed at any school within the state.

PALMETTO Fla. - In just a matter of weeks, the Manatee School for the Arts in Palmetto will transition to using solar energy as officials work diligently on setting up the solar panels.

This project represents the biggest rooftop solar setup installed at any educational institution within the state. The school anticipates reducing its utility expenses by approximately 90%.

What they're saying

“We’re aiming to educate our students as improved caretakers of our community, and this serves as an excellent example,” stated Dr. Steve Marshall, principal at Manatee School for the Arts.

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The institution is shifting to solar power as a result of an alliance with Tampa Bay Solar.

"The price of energy has risen significantly during the past ten years. Such an installation, specifically this two-megawatt facility featuring 3,000 panels, enables educational institutions to cut their expenses dramatically," stated Shannon Rutherford from Tampa Bay Solar.

The school has been contemplating this idea for many years now.

Marshall stated, "We've consistently pondered over this idea, so it simply came down to finding the perfect timing along with the appropriate financial resources to embark on this endeavor."

Dig deeper

The work has begun, with panels prepared to cover over 250,000 square feet of roof area.

"Over 3,100 solar panels are part of this initiative," stated Timothy McMurrary, who serves as both the Vice President of Renaissance Arts and Education and the Chief Financial Officer for Manatee School for the Arts and Hola Elementary.

"Given that utility expenses keep increasing, we anticipate spending around $500,000 annually to maintain our campus of 27 acres. The question is: how can we counterbalance this cost?" asked McMurray.

Big picture view

The funds conserved will be allocated to expand their educational initiatives.

“By reducing these utility expenses, we are reallocating funds that can be more effectively used to benefit students and teachers in the classroom,” stated McMurray.

McMurray mentioned it's a $4 million initiative that would recoup its costs within seven years and has the potential to operate effectively for 25 years or longer.

"We hope this will create a solid case study for other institutions to learn from and enable them to invest state funds judiciously for upcoming generations," stated McMurray.

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The Source

Kimberly Kuizon from FOX 13 gathered the details for this report.

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