Greenskies Clean Focus installs 752 kW of solar across 2 Connecticut schools

Solar Power World | Billy Ludt
July 12, 2022

Putnam School District of Putnam, Connecticut has offset 70% of its total electricity load with a 752-kW solar project. Greenskies Clean Focus financed the project, built the arrays and will own and operate the systems.

“We’re happy to help the Town of Putnam acquire clean, affordable electricity with solar,” said Stanley Chin, president and CEO of Greenskies Clean Focus. “Our team excels at assisting municipalities implement renewable energy without capital expenditures. After all, they’re not in the business of developing and operating solar projects — we are.”

In total, Greenskies installed over 2,000 solar panels on the rooftops of Putnam High School (520 kW) and Putnam Middle School (232 kW). Together, the rooftop arrays are projected to produce an estimated 866-MWh of clean energy each year.

“Bringing solar energy to Putnam’s schools is environmentally friendly and cuts energy costs,” said Daniel P. Sullivan, III, superintendent of Putnam Schools. “Saving money with solar allows us to redirect savings to resources that directly improve our schools.”

Putnam worked with Titan Energy, an energy consultancy, to conduct a request for proposal (RFP) process. Greenskies was selected to build, own and operate the solar systems under a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA). The PPA structure ensures the town pays no upfront costs and will have reduced energy rates, saving approximately $875,000 over the next 25 years.

“The Putnam Public Schools made a quantum leap forward in terms of sustainability and cost reduction by choosing to go solar at both the high school and middle school,” said Adam Teff, general manager of TitanGen. “Through this addition of solar, the district offset approximately 70 percent of their annual utility consumption and reduced their costs by approximately $55,000 a year.”