Bristow Middle School

Solar Photovoltaic

System Size (kW DC): 95.20

Expected Annual Electricity Generation (kWh): 89,000

Energizing Future Generations

The slogan, or tag line, on the opening page of Bristow Online, Bristow Middle School’s online site, is “energize your dreams.” Bristow is not only energizing dreams, it is also energizing its school building in West Hartford with clean energy derived from the sun.

In 2009, West Hartford celebrated the completion of a 95.2-kW solar photovoltaic (PV) installation at Bristow Middle School. Consisting of 544 solar panels mounted on the rooftop of the school, the solar array is expected to supply nearly 20 percent of the school’s electricity needs annually. The system is owned by SunEdison, and under the terms of a power purchase agreement between the Town of West Hartford and SunEdison, SunEdison will own, operate, and maintain the system and sell power to the town for the school’s use.

A grant from CCEF helped to defray almost half of the total project cost.