Firebaugh-Las Deltas United School District Restores Music Instruction with Savings from SolarCity Project
Projects Expected to Save District More than $900,000 in First Five Years of Operation
FIREBAUGH, CA, Oct. 22, 2012 – Firebaugh-Las Deltas Unified School District has restored music instruction, which had been suspended since 2009 for lack of funds, with savings from SolarCity's installation of nearly one megawatt of solar at three of its five district schools.
The newly installed SolarCity systems at Firebaugh High School, Middle School, and Hazel Bailey Elementary will allow the district to pay less for clean solar power than it would for fossil fuel utility power. The district is expected to save more than $900,000 in the systems' first five years of operation, and several million over the life of the system.
"Solar energy projects for public schools are essentially revenue enhancements for school districts which directly benefit the students and taxpayers," said Russell Freitas, Superintendent of Firebaugh-Las Deltas Unified School District. "During these past ten years, school districts have experienced the most difficult financial times and because of the savings this solar project has created, we are able to bring music instruction back to the District."
Since 2009, Firebaugh-Las Deltas had had to eliminate music instruction for grades six through twelve, but has now brought back a variety of musical offerings for fourth through twelfth graders in the 2012-13 school year. The district's music program includes keyboard classes, choir, drama production, band, drum instruction and performance at football and basketball games.
"School districts across the country are pursuing ways to allocate as much of their budgets as possible to what matters most: the education of their communities' children," said Dennis Cox, Regional Vice President at SolarCity. "Firebaugh-Las Deltas is at the forefront of the movement to go solar and save money while doing right by the planet that their students will inherit."
SolarCity has completed or undertaken more than 200 solar projects for schools, community colleges and universities across the country. The company employs more than 70 people in its Fresno office.
Educationally, the solar projects will provide students with firsthand demonstrations of how solar technology works, and of solar energy's benefits. The schools will have access to SolarCity's web-based monitoring, PowerGuide®, which will display real-time on-site energy production.
About SolarCity
SolarCity® —a national leader in clean energy services—provides homeowners, business and government organizations cleaner, more affordable alternatives to their utility bills. The company makes it simple for customers to lock in lower, long-term rates for clean energy by providing everything from permitting and installation to ongoing monitoring and maintenance. Additional information about the company is available on the Web at www.solarcity.com.
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