Solar at EMS

Dozens of volunteers -- students, faculty, staff, community members, parents and grandparents -- joined a "solar barnraising" on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020 to install 357 solar panels atop the school's upper building in a little less than four and a half hours.

The solar array will offset nearly a third of the total electricity used by the school’s facilities while generating enough clean energy to run the equivalent of 15 average homes and avoid more than 141 tons of carbon dioxide pollution per year.

It was the culmination of nearly two years of planning and consultation, made possible by a partnership with Secure Futures Solar of Staunton. Read more below about how it works and education opportunities.

Barnraising video
Chapel with roof tour

Installation Coverage

EMS solar array output
Volunteer COVID and liability check in
Volunteer check in
Loren Swartzendruber of Secure Futures welcomes the group
Paul Leaman, head of school, welcomes
Paul Leaman, head of school at the solar barn raising
Andy Hershberger '03, of Got Electric, LLC, gives instructions at the solar barn raising
Jeff Heie, communitiy volunteer coordinator
Kendal Bauman, elementary PE teacher, heads up to the roof
Volunteer training
Panels ready to hoist to the roof
Malea Gascho, EMS art teacher at the solar barn raising
Justin King, high school principal (right) and his father, Kevin King
Rahel Lema '21, and Everett Brubaker '13 at the solar barn raising
Everett Brubaker '10 and Tony Smith of Secure Futures at the solar barn raising
Jeff Heie, communty volunteer coordinator, and Earl Martin at the solar barn raising
Dr. Doug Hendren and Stan Godshall, community volunteers (and EMS grandparent!)
Volunteers at the solar barn raising
Joshua Kraybill '10, Got Electric at the solar barn raising
Debbie Katz, high school counselor, and Nikita Stoll '14 and employee with Got Electric, LLC
Sidney Rhodes '22, Joshua Kraybill '10, Karla Hostetter '21
Harrisonburg City leaders... Deanna Reed (mayor) and Council candidates, Laura Dent and Charles Hendricks
Noah Heie, community volunteer, and Nikita Stoll '14 and employee of Got Electric, LLC
Rahel Lema '21 and Charles Hendricks, EMS dad, Gaines Group Architects and City Council candidate
Lunch break, distanced
Lunch break!
Sidney Rhodes'22 and Karla Hostetter '21, EMS Sustainablity club members at the solar barn raising
Paul Leaman, head of school, picks up panel from Rahel Lema '21 at the solar barn raising
Andy Hershberger confers with his former soccer coach, Kendal Bauman at the solar barn raising
Laura Dent, Harrisonburg City Council candidate, and Deanna Reed, Harrisonburg mayor at the solar barn raising
A Secure Futures team
Debbie Katz, high school counselor, with Tony Smith of Secure Futures, talking with Nikita Stoll at the solar barn raising
Tyler Kauffman, EMS dad and facilities management staff
Joshua Kraybill '10, of Got Elecric, LLCectric
Volunteers at the solar barn raising fall 2019
EMS solar array

Education component

In addition to the solar panels, Secure Futures at no extra cost to the school, will provide lesson plans and materials created by NEED (National Energy Education Development) for hands-on instruction and learning the importance of clean energy.

“We are thrilled to be able to get this project up and running,” says Paul Leaman, head of school. “Young people need to see and experience the power and economics of renewable energies so they can become change agents away from the pollutants and nonrenewable fossil fuels.”

 

How it Works

EMS received the solar energy equipment at no upfront capital cost through a 20-year Solar Self Generation Agreement with Secure Futures. Over that term, the company will operate and maintain the solar energy system, providing services and support for EMS to generate electricity at a cost lower than typically available from its utility power provider, Harrisonburg Electric Commission.

Gott Electric, LLC completed the electrical grid for the project in June of 2020 to prepare for the installation. Andy Hershberger, EMHS class of '03, is director of Virginia operations for Gott, which excels at residential and commercial electrical services in the Maryland, Virginia and the DC area.