The Connecticut Technical Education and Career System (CTECS) is installing seven solar projects across its district that will collectively deliver 4.6 MW of power. CTECS will save nearly $6 million in energy costs over the lifetime of the systems.
From left to right: CTECS Executive Director Dr. Alice Pritchard; State Representative Jason Doucette; Dennis Schain, Town of Manchester; State Representative Geoff Luxenberg; DAS Commissioner Michelle Gilman; Verogy CEO Will Herchel; Connecticut Green Bank President and CEO Bryan Garcia; Howell Cheney Technical High School Principal David Batch
Verogy is installing the projects, with support from the Connecticut Dept. of Administrative Services (DAS) and the Connecticut Green Bank. The projects will also incorporate a workforce development component, offering both classroom and on-site learning opportunities for students at each school where projects are underway.
The seven projects are as follows:
- Howell Cheney Technical High School (Manchester) – 756.8-kW carport system
- W.F. Kaynor Technical High School (Waterbury) – 448.8-kW rooftop system
- A.I. Prince Technical High School (Hartford) – 170.5-kW rooftop system
- Eli Whitney Technical High School (Hamden) – 756.8-kW rooftop and carport systems
- Emmett O’Brien Technical High School (Ansonia) – 897.6-kW rooftop and carport systems
- Henry Abbott Technical High School (Danbury) – 616-kW carport system
- H.H. Ellis Technical High School (Danielson) – 959.2-kW roof and carport system
“This solar project represents so much more than an investment in clean energy, it’s also an investment in our students by giving them exposure to technologies that are shaping the future of their industries,” said CTECS Executive Director Dr. Alice Pritchard, at the ground-breaking of the project at Howell Cheney Technical High School. “At the same time, the energy savings generated by these systems allow us to redirect operational funds into other programmatic areas. It’s a model for how collaborative projects can advance our educational mission while supporting Connecticut’s energy goals.”
“As a graduate of Wilcox Tech’s Electrical Program, I know how valuable hands-on technical education can be,” said Torre Babich, Project Manager at Verogy and a Wolcott native. “I started my journey in the electrical trade right here in Connecticut, earning my diploma and completing 2,000 hours of classroom training. Having supported the launch of the engineering phase of the CTECS solar projects, it’s incredibly rewarding to see them move forward, bringing clean energy to schools while offering students the same kind of real-world experience that launched my own career.”
News item from Connecticut Green Bank
