March 19, 2024 at 4:00 p.m.
Cheshire Academy’s photo voltaic panel and snow fence success story.
Cheshire Academy is closing in on its first profitable yr of utilizing solar-powered panels to assist scale back power prices on the personal college in Cheshire, Connecticut. Funded fully by New York photo voltaic power developer Plankton Power in 2023, 4 campus buildings boast the productive photo voltaic panels. And, to decelerate the discharge of melting snows and ice from these panels, Drift Photo voltaic Snow Fences from Rocky Mountain Snow Guards, Inc. had been added to assist preserve college students and school secure.
The photo voltaic power system is predicted to generate roughly 272 kWh of solar energy yearly. Over the lifetime of the system, Cheshire Academy will save greater than $297,000 on electrical energy bills and keep away from greater than 1,248 metric tons of C0-2 emissions, which is the equal of burning 140,000 gallons of gasoline.
“The electrical energy from the photo voltaic panels is fed into the buildings that the photo voltaic panels are put in on and is consumed onsite,” says Photo voltaic Mission Supervisor Aidan Kates with Plankton Power. “The timing for set up was superb as a result of new asphalt shingles had simply been put in on the science constructing’s roof and the varsity’s pupil sustainability membership wished to deliver photo voltaic to their campus.”
Specifying drift photo voltaic snow fences
In accordance with Kates, it’s necessary to have a snow retention system when coping with photo voltaic panels on a roof. “Photo voltaic panels cowl the textured roof that may sometimes break up chunks of snow and forestall assortment of sheets of snow,” says Kates. “As a result of photo voltaic panels are easy, snow accumulates into sheets on prime of them.
“These sheets of snow compact onto the photo voltaic panels. This threatens to slip off the panels abruptly, which might be very harmful. The Drift Photo voltaic Snow Fences we specified helps preserve the snow from sliding off the roof.”
Designed particularly for snow retention under photo voltaic panel installations on shingle roofs, the 12” tall, 4-pipe aluminum Drift Photo voltaic snow retention system ensures snow doesn’t avalanche off the roof. The snow fence serves as a “catch basin,” permitting the snow to soften off the roof.
Appropriate for each new roof and retrofit roof functions, the brackets have to be bolted to the roof help construction. Centurion Photo voltaic Power put in the snow fencing this summer time so that there’s a minimal of 12” between the underside of the photo voltaic panel and the snow fence tubes. The bracket might be flush on the eave with the tubing facet dealing with down-slope (reversed set up in comparison with different snow fence installations).
“We actually preferred the aesthetic of the Drift Photo voltaic Snow Fence,” says Kates. “Plus, we would have liked a product that may be efficient in stopping ice/sleet runoff as this roof is in a excessive visitors space of the varsity campus. The snow fence additionally allowed us to house the rail away from the sting of our photo voltaic array to keep away from any shading on our panels.”
Snow fences create safer campus
Now in place for nearly a yr, the photo voltaic panels are situated on 4 campus buildings: The John J. White ’38 Science & Expertise Heart, Gideon Welles Eating Commons, Woodbury Corridor and the amenities constructing. Nick Liebler, Director of Services at Cheshire Academy, relates that the Drift Photo voltaic Snow Fences have made a serious distinction.
“Earlier than the snow fences had been put in it was a nightmare,” says Liebler. “The snows melting off the photo voltaic panels would merely avalanche off the roof, inflicting a harmful state of affairs. The Drift Photo voltaic Snow Fences are doing their job and have made a big distinction.”
In accordance with Liebler, the photo voltaic panels heat up rapidly after snow falls, in order that the snow rapidly slides down the roof areas. The snow is “captured” by the snow fences. Solely when there are extraordinarily massive snow falls and the snow exceeds the peak of the snow fences are there challenges. “Even then, the state of affairs remains to be so a lot better than it was earlier than the snow fences had been put in,” says Liebler. “There’s an evening and day change now that we’ve got the Drift Photo voltaic Snow Fences in place.”
Based in 1974, Cheshire Academy is a university preparatory boarding and day college for college students in grades 9-12 and postgraduate. The historic 104-acre campus is situated simply two hours from Boston and New York, and is residence to roughly 343 college students.
Plankton Power is a turnkey photo voltaic power supplier devoted to servicing faculties, homes of worship, small and medium enterprises and group photo voltaic wants throughout the US. Plankton helps faculties and group establishments like Cheshire Academy to avoid wasting significantly on their electrical energy payments and pioneer power decisions that align with their sustainability values.
About Rocky Mountain Snow Guards, Inc.
Rocky Mountain Snow Guards, Inc. manufactures snow guards and fence-style snow retention methods designed to guard individuals and property. The corporate supplies free transport of merchandise to the 48 contiguous United States and provides free layouts and quotes for product placement. For particulars go to www.rockymountainsnowguards.com or name 1-877-414-7606.