It never hurts to be energy efficient, and that’s exactly what Athens Drive Magnet High School plans on doing. The STEM Academy at Athens Drive has started fundraising for solar panels to give the school a source of clean, sustainable energy. There is no clear destination for the solar panels if the school is able to get them, however the STEM Academy does have some ideas.
“They would be near the bus loop or on the roof of the senior hallway,” Sofia Miglaccio, senior.
The solar panels will be placed in these areas for many reasons, the main being because these are the best places for the solar panels to receive sunlight. Another is that the STEM Academy is concerned with extreme weather and students disturbing the solar panels. Since these panels are valuable to the school the STEM academy wants to make sure the are placed somewhere they will not be damaged.
“When the solar installer came in to approve sites we’ve been looking at, they have an apparatus that tells them what locations will be sunny. The two locations they finalized on were in front of the library and on the roof,” Rocco Nocciti, senior.
The NC GreenPower page set up to help fund the solar panel has a goal of 15,000 dollars. So far the NC GreenPower Page has not met its goal. The STEM Academy got the idea to introduce solar panels to Athens Drive from Nociti. What started off as a junior project has now turned into something much more.
“This was all Rocco’s idea. He’s been a big push for this.” Shane Barry, science teacher said.
According to the Renewable Global Status Report almost a fifth of the world energy comes from renewable energy sources such as hydroelectric power, wind power and solar panels. By the rate renewable energy is being funded it will not be long before fossil fuels are a thing of the past and clean energy becomes our new way of living.
In the United States we now have enough solar energy to power 4.6 million homes which is reducing carbon emissions by 25 million metric tons a year. Other countries are transitioning to solar too. Almost half of Germany’s energy is renewable while most of Norway runs off of hydroelectric power. By 2050 almost 140 countries could be fully running on renewable energy.
Athens Drive will be one of the many schools taking a step in the right direction and cutting off carbon emissions with this solar panel. Those who want to donate can donate to the Athens Drive NC GreenPower Page on the STEM Academy’s website.
“We have our own little power source.” Camilla Araujo, junior said
