SCDSB installs solar panels at schools and creates new learning experience

Students at more than two dozen Simcoe County public schools will soon have a great new source of study material right above their heads.

Solar panels are being installed on the roofs of 27 schools in the Simcoe County District School Board.

“This is really a unique opportunity for us to be part of something that’s so revolutionary to have green energy come directly to our schools,” said Jessica Kukac, the board’s environmental systems coordinator

Data from the solar project will be collected and used for class materials in subjects from science to business and there is a major business aspect to this project. It will start with the solar panel company they're working with.

"There is a roof leasing agreement that we have with our partners, and they're responsibility is to develop and maintained the system and their paid for the energy that’s sold back to the provincial grid and the school board is paid for the roof space that is used to keep the systems on there,” said Kukac.

Grade 11 student Mikaila Hunter is looking forward to the unique lessons.

"I think when kids see this and they see it's a possible thing, they see the benefits of it and everything, they can use that when they're older, if they're interested they might want to put it in their house, use it some way in the future," she said.

The data will be available to everyone within the Simcoe County school board, allowing all students across the county to have the opportunity to learn from this new project.