Borden-Henryville launches solar energy project

Brooke McAfee, The Evening News and the Tribune, Jeffersonville, Ind.
·2 min read

May 16—CLARK COUNTY — Borden-Henryville School Corp. expects to save $8.1 million over 25 years through the use of solar panels on both campuses.

On Tuesday, the district presented ribbon-cuttings at Borden Jr./Sr. High School and Henryville Jr./Sr. High School to celebrate the new solar project.

The district partnered with Veregy, an energy services company, to complete the solar panel project. Borden-Henryville Superintendent Johnny Budd said the district will be able to produce roughly 85% of its energy onsite through solar panels, resulting in a 5% increase in cost savings.

"[It] also allows us to keep our money here for other operational costs versus paying the electrical company," he said. "So it's really a win-win situation for us."

The solar panels have been operational since March, Budd said.

He is also excited about the STEM opportunities for students at Borden-Henryville.

"This is going to expose kids to this field of engineering and harnessing solar energy," Budd said.

In addition to solar panels on the roofs that provide energy for Borden-Henryville, the schools also have solar wagons that can be used in classrooms. Tim Zange, a project engineer at Veregy, said the wagons serve as educational tools for students to learn about renewable energy, which ties into the district's STEM curriculum.

"They have solar modules on the front that will harness the sun, and then they are connected to an inverter and battery controller, so that'll allow you to store energy when it's not being used," he said.

The solar wagons include outlets that students can use to charge their laptops or phones.

Students can also learn about solar energy through monitors in the schools, which will display how much energy is being produced through Borden-Henryville's solar panels on a daily, monthly and yearly basis.

State Rep. Rita Fleming, who represents District 71 in the Indiana House, praised Borden-Henryville's solar project, saying it is " a good example of our smaller school systems thinking in a very big way."

"I love that they are showing their students that there are options, and they can look beyond what is traditionally the way things are done and look for opportunities," she said. "And this opportunity to be climate-smart and save money is a win for everybody."