SCCTC "flips the switch" on new solar array
Saline County Career and Technical Campus invited the public to help them “flip the switch” on a brand new solar array that’s been installed adjacent to the learning facility.
The event was held Thursday on campus at SCCTC, in coordination with the Saline County Economic Development Corporation, ASU Three Rivers and Seal Solar, an Arkansas-based “solar energy solutions” company formed in 2021, said to give commercial and residential customers the independence and forward-thinking solutions they’ve been searching for.
Seal Solar associates boast over 200 years in combined experience and are confident they can find the right solution for every client they serve while staying committed to their mission, “Empowering energy independence through solar and storage to homes, businesses, and organizations throughout the region.”
“We're proud to work with Saline County to deploy a solar array that will provide cost savings on electricity used at the facility while also giving students interested in the renewable energy industry a practical and relevant learning experience,” the solar company posted to their social media following Thursday’s event on the SCCTC campus.
The new 900-panel, 1.6acre solar spread now installed on campus in Benton is 423kwdc (kilowatt direct current) and is expected to produce about 621,000 kwh (kilowatt hours) its first year.
"We are extremely excited in regard to the long term benefits this addition will bring to Saline County and the SCCTC," said Saline Co. Judge, Matt Brumley, prior to Thursday’s event. "The solar array and the partnership with Seal Solar will allow for substantial cost savings on electricity used at the facility while also allowing for a hands-on educational opportunity for our students interested in the renewable energy industry."
The school also plans to utilize the solar array as a teaching tool for students who want to learn
about or pursue a career in renewable energy, according to Scott Kuttenkuler, Assistant Vice Chancellor for the Saline County Career Technical Campus,
"'Together we can make a difference' has been a campus motto since the beginning of the vision for SCCTC," Kuttenkuler said. "The investment is the next step in making a difference as the solar farm leverages the campus to establish future sustainability and instructional lab space for a future renewable energy program.
“This project plans for the future in a way that will keep SCCTC at the forefront of the emergent workforce training for Saline County,” Kuttenkuler said. “We anticipate adding such a program and training to our current offerings within the next two years.”