Powered by the Sun: Poway School Adopts Solar Energy

A Matter of Degrees: Climate Change in San Diego
Ana Tintocalis

Monterey Ridge Elementary in the Poway Unified School District is the newest in a growing list of solar powered schools in San Diego County. KPBS education reporter Ana Tintocalis explains why there’s a lot more to this school than just solar panels.

Monterey Ridge is the only school in San Diego County with such a big focus on the environment. In fact, the school’s mascot is the Monarch butterfly, and the school colors are rust and green. But it’s the campus’ huge solar power system that really captivates young minds. More than 20,000 square feet of large black solar panels blanket the hillside behind the campus.

Nine-year-old Yung Wu Son compares the solar panels to the leaves of a tree. Principal Rebecca Wardlow says the system is an essential teaching tool at the school. She says even grownups want to learn more.

The solar panels provide up to 60 percent of the school’s energy needs. Wardlow admits the system was expensive. The price tag is $1.5 million. The district is paying $900,000 of that amount, and a state rebate covers the rest. Poway Unified won’t recoup the expenses for another 15 years.

The expensive project is a major reason why other school districts are reluctant to go solar. But Wardlow believes it’s all worth it for her school. The campus is using clean, renewable energy instead of producing tons of carbon dioxide.

But Wardlow says the biggest payoff is knowing her students are gaining valuable knowledge about renewable energy and energy conservation. Science teachers develop lessons based on how the expansive solar energy system works. Ten-year-old Alexandria Davis.

Students also learn why many scientists believe the greenhouse effect is making the world a warmer place. Teacher Susan Mahoney uses the school’s own pint-size greenhouse to show how plants are affected by good and bad levels of certain gases.