New England’s Largest School Solar Facility Goes Online in Massachusetts

PowerPlay Solar Development, an integrated solar development and finance company based in Ridgefield, Conn., announces today, the commissioning and commencement of operation of the 2-MW, 9-acre PV solar plant developed by the company at Berkshire School in Sheffield, Mass. The project is currently the largest operating solar facility of its kind at any school or college in New England.

PowerPlay Solar Development designed and constructed the project in collaboration with Spire Solar Systems, a solar systems design builder based in Bedford, Mass. The Berkshire School ground-mounted system is composed of 8,332 high performance crystalline silicon solar panels manufactured in the USA by SolarWorld, a worldwide leader in offering brand-name, high quality, crystalline solar-power technology.

The solar field will generate approximately 45 percent of the school’s electricity needs and is part of the School’s broad sustainability master plan submitted by Berkshire students to the School’s Board of Trustees. An important cornerstone of the plan is having the School achieve carbon neutrality by 2016.

“Committing to this solar project is a significant statement by Berkshire School on environmental stewardship. It’s been exciting for our team to develop this impressive solar power plant in support of the School’s sustainability and energy goals,” said Steven Levine, senior development partner at PowerPlay Solar Development.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for Berkshire Schoo l– financially, educationally and environmentally,” says Mike Maher, Berkshire’s head of school.  “Using our own land to generate clean electricity is the right and responsible thing to do.”