Lewiston-Porter School District invests in its future with Montante Solar

BY KELSEY JAMES

Lewiston-Porter Central School District will soon have two operational roof-mounted solar arrays to offset energy costs and move forward with sustainable initiatives.

The project cost $1.78 million and included a 450-kilowatt (kW) array on the primary education center and a 550-kW array on the high school. It used a total of 1,740 solar panels and is expected to produce a combined total of 1.1 million kilowatt hours (kWh) annually. This energy production will offset 19,350 metric tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere over its lifetime.

Lewiston-Porter chose Montante So- lar to carry out the project. The company was founded in 2009 by Daniel Montante and Matthew Montante. It is part of the Montante Group, which includes TM Montante Development, Montante Construction and Montante Solar. Montante Solar is a full-service developer and installer of solar energy arrays with extensive experience in commercial, industrial, municipal and school district systems.

“The school district put out a request for proposals and the job was right in our wheelhouse,” said Montante Solar project executive, Steve Erck. “We have expertise in helping schools and universities gain control over their longterm energy costs. Lewiston is home to the Montante family so the project was also meaningful for their community.”

Erck is responsible for overseeing engineering, project management and project delivery at Montante Solar. Under his leadership, his team was responsible for the project design, estimating project costs and executing the work at Lewiston-Porter.

The school district’s sustainability goals and the availability of new, flat rooftops were the primary factors driving the project.

“Roof condition is a major deciding factor when going solar,” Erck said. “If your roof needs to be replaced soon, you don’t want to put solar on it because it’s costly to remove it and put back. Two of the roofs are relatively new, so that’s how the buildings were selected.”

The solar panels are oriented towards the south, optimizing annual electricity production, and are expected to last at least 25 years.

“We anticipate that every kilowatt hour of solar electricity will be consumed and monetized by the district,” said Montante Solar president, Daniel Montante. “Our team designed the solar arrays for Lewiston-Porter with the aim of maximizing both electricity production and the value of the solar energy generated. This approach ensures the school district will achieve the quickest payback period possible.”

The Energy Performance Contract (EPC) used by Lewiston-Porter to finance the project was approved by the

New York State Education Department. School districts commonly use EPC agreements as a low-risk way to finance and deliver renewable energy projects. This involves using the savings generated from the project to pay for the project’s capital expenses. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) also funded a portion of the project costs.

Montante said the systems are in final stages of utility interconnection and will be producing power before the end of the school year, just in time for peak production months.

The electrical work on the project was completed by JM&R Electric Co Inc., while Trautman Associates, the school district’s engineering firm, provided oversight throughout the project.

Montante Solar has partnered with multiple school districts across New York including the Buffalo Public School District, where they installed rooftop arrays on 19 school buildings. The project has a 3MW aggregate capacity and generates over 3.4 million kWh of electricity annually. This was the largest rooftop solar project ever completed for a public school district in New York State, and it helps to prevent the release of 1,700 metric tons of CO2 into the atmosphere each year. Montante Solar also offers bi-annual student tours of the rooftop arrays, allowing students to learn more about the generation, storage and distribution of solar power.

For more information about Montante Solar, visit www.montantesolar.com. u

Northern Dreams Construction Inc. is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business General Contracting firm specializing in small to midrange construction and remodeling projects for commercial, industrial and government clients.

The company’s experienced leadership team and strong network of proven sub-contractors ensure outstanding results in every project. Northern Dreams principals have extensive experience in engineering and design, construction management, and organizational leadership.

Northern Dreams Construction Inc. 400 Kennedy Rd., Cheektowaga, NY 14227

Phone: (716) 332-3765 www.northerndreamsconstruction.com