ARHS students take aim at sun

By Mary Carey
Staff Writer

Published on August 22, 2008

The governor has been talking up alternative energy, trumpeting the "clean energy vision for Massachusetts" at the heart of a comprehensive energy package enacted last month offering a broad range of incentives to go green.

Members of the Environmental Action Club at Amherst Regional High School are taking up Gov. Deval Patrick on his challenge.

They've launched an ambitious effort to raise $100,000 to install photovoltaic solar panels on the third floor roof above the cafeteria.

Its name: Project Solar Lunchbox.

"It will be in the cafeteria, and everybody will be eating their lunch under lights that are being powered by solar energy," club member Molly Krifka said.Students estimate it could reduce electricity costs by about $1,620 a year. Once installed, the panels likely would last up to 40 years, generating electricity when the sun is out by day, when it's needed most.

At night, as the students explain on the brand-new brochure they designed themselves, the panels would sleep "like we do, as opposed to nuclear and coal plants that have to run every minute of every day."

The efficacy of solar panels has been well demonstrated. What prevents more individuals and companies from installing them immediately are upfront costs.

Raising money is the biggest challenge for the students, who plan to apply for a grant from Commonwealth Solar, a $68 million joint project of the Patrick administration and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative. As a 10 kilowatt system, Project Solar Lunchbox would be eligible for $50,000. But as Commonwealth Solar is a rebate program, the students have to raise the money first. They have creative ideas. One is to get a bank to lend the money, to be paid back with the rebate, said club member Sasha Mastroianni. There are also plans to hold "fun" fundraisers to get underclassmen involved.

One involves customizing large plastic barrels by fitting them with hoses and selling them as rain barrels in which people could collect rainwater for their lawns and gardens.

Meanwhile, club members have set up an information table near the Amherst Farmers Market, where they've raised about $100 over the last four weeks in donations. "A lot of people have wanted to know more about it. We've had people come back with friends," Mastroianni said.

They have already met with representatives from area alternative energy companies. "The next step in terms of the contractors is, we need to get a structural engineer to do a survey for the roof. They'll be able to produce a design for us, and then we would decide which contractor to go with," Mastroianni said. She expects the engineer's survey to cost a couple of thousand of dollars. "I guess the initial fundraising will go to that," she said.

The students, who are all seniors, hope to see the panels installed before they graduate. But they have a contingency plan in case it takes longer.

"We're recruiting some younger students to continue if it doesn't go according to plan," Krifka said. "But hopefully it will."

Mary Carey can be reached at mary.carey@att.net.