1

Green Mountain
Goes to School

Prepared by:
Arish Pardiwalla
Kimberly Killen
Stephen Davis
Victor Rodriguez
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Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION.3
1.2 Background...3
1.3 The Ozone Problem......4
1.4 Negative Health Effects........5
1.5 Environmental Risks.....6
1.6 Why it Matters..6
2. PROPOSAL...7
2.1 Our Proposal.7
2.2 Solar Energy.8
3. BUDGETING8
3.1 Cost of the Project....8
4. SUCCESS RATE....10
5. TARGETED Q&A..11
6. AUTHORIZATION....12
7. REFERENCES....13
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Introduction

The future is the hands our childrens. At the current rate of waste production, we create, our
kids will have to suffer in a world devastated with pollution. Therefore, we at Green
Mountain Energy believe that making renewable energy resources accessible to our citizens
now is important to build a clean and healthy environment for our future generations. In our
proposal, we combat the effects of Dallas rising ozone pollution on our children, by
decreasing the amount of pollution around their school, using solar panels.

Background

Who are we?

Established in 1997, Green Mountain began its

mission to provide clean, sustainable energy to
consumers while giving them the choice to change
the way energy is made (Green Mountain, 2017).
As carbon dioxide levels continue to rise, we aim to
provide alternative methods of producing energy such
as windmills and solar panels, which have become our
leading product to date. Those who choose to use our
products will save money on their monthly energy bill
while reducing carbon offsets that pollute our air. Our
company, now headquartered in Austin, has seen a
significant influence on the environment as our
consumer base continues to grow.

Sun Club

Green Mountain is also focused on giving back to our community; our nonprofit
organization, Sun Club, donates solar panels to other nonprofit organizations. Our first
initiative took place in 2002 when we made our first solar donation to the Winston School in
Dallas. The school has since seen an average output of over 70,000 Kilowatt hours of clean
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energy and continues to teach its students the importance of a clean environment (Green
Mountain, 2017). Since Sun Clubs inception, we have donated solar panels to over 75
organizations in Texas, New York, and Pennsylvania.

The Ozone Problem

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (n.d.), the ozone is a natural shield that
protects the earth from the suns harmful UV rays. It is comprised of the molecule O3, which
is beneficial to our atmosphere but harmful to air quality outside the ozone layer.
Consequently, man-made chemicals we emit into our atmosphere cause a chemical reaction
between nitrogen oxide (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC), which in the
presence of sunlight creates ozone pollution. When ozone becomes available at ground level
it becomes a harmful air pollutant. The Environmental Protection Agency (n.d.) has created
the figure, below, showing how the process occurs.

Dallas Ozone Problem

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In 2015, The American Lung Association [ALA] ranked Dallas- Fort Worth as the 7th most
ozone polluted metro area in the United States. The distribution of pollution in the DFW area
is comprised from approximately 70% vehicle exhaust, 20% construction emissions and 10%
other sources.
Some facts about pollution in Dallas:
Nearly 160,000 cars and trucks pass
through Downtown Dallas busy interstate
highway emitting roughly 3,200,000 lbs. of
carbon dioxide each day
Pollution associated with construction is
created through demolition, land clearing,
operation of diesel engines and working
with toxic materials (Gray, 2017)
Houston, ranked 6th on ALAs most polluted
cities scale 2015, is located on the coast such
that the costal winds blow some of Houstons
pollution up north to Dallas

Negative Health Effects

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Ozone pollution can impose a multitude problems in both humans and the environment.
People most at risk of breathing in polluted air are children, older adults and outdoor
workers. As shown in the image from the American Lung Association (n.d.) below, inhaling
ozone can attack areas around the heart and lungs resulting in serious health conditions.

Environmental Risks
Ground level Ozone can be especially harmful to sensitive vegetation and ecosystems.
Pollution. The effects on individual plants can then have negative impacts on ecosystems,
including:

loss of species diversity (less variety of plants, animals, insects, and fish);
changes to the specific assortment of plants present in a forest;
changes to habitat quality;
changes to water and nutrient cycles (Environmental Protection Agency, 2017,
February 27).
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(Holmes, n.d.)

Why it Matters
Ozone exposure is the greatest risk to children because their lungs are still developing and
are more inclined to be outdoors during high ozone levels (Environmental Protection
Agency, 2017, March 13). Therefore, it is imperative to protect our children and environment
from harmful ozone to raise healthy adults and create a healthy environment for our future
generation.

Our Proposal

Barbara M. Manns Education Center

The previous projects we have completed over the last 15 years have benefited the recipients
of the solar panels and our environment as well. Green Mountain and Sun Club would like to
continue our initiative of providing these cleaner alternatives and as part of our next project
we are looking forward to making a donation to the Barbara M. Manns Education Center.
Our plan is to partner with the schools focus to empower at-risk students with awareness
for learning and provide them an opportunity learn about clean energy and ways they can
take part in caring for our environment (Dallas ISD, 2017). These students will be provided
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with an opportunity to help with the installation of these solar panels while also researching
other methods they can give back to our community as well.

Sun Club Day

Installing solar panels in a school can

take, on average, about 3-4 days. Our
project will take place on the first day
of installation in which our trucks will
arrive on site; our employees,
volunteers, and the students will
participate in unloading the trucks and
carrying them into the school. As we
work with the students to unload the
panels we will also give them a brief
background of how the panels produce
energy and the impact that it will
provide to the air around them.

Also, prior to Sun Club Day, the teachers at Barbara M. Manns will assign the students a
project in which they will do their own independent research. The students will create a
poster board focusing on solar energy or any other method in which one can help our
environment. The students will then showcase their results to the teachers and our staff after
all the solar panels have been brought into the school. Our professionals will also be
available to answer any other questions they may have about solar and wind energy.

Our goal is to produce similar results as were found in our first project with Barbara M.
Manns education center. Technology has yet to reach a milestone in which implementing
these panels would mean a self-sustaining power source, however, this will have a significant
impact on the school's energy costs and on the air in Dallas as well. This will also have a
long lasting influence in that the students will become more aware of their environment and
develop habits that may benefit future generations as well.
Solar Energy
How does it work?
Solar panels contain photovoltaic cells (PV) that convert solar energy into direct current
(DC) electricity that can be used to power electric devices (Rapp,1981, p. 36). The DC
electricity is then sent through an inverter that converts the energy into alternating current
(AC) energy (Rapp,1981, p. 36). This AC energy is then sent to the electrical panel in the
building that then powers the lights and appliances (Rapp,1981, p. 36).
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This process has been used for powering simple devices such as calculators to more complex
projects such as a house, or in the case of this project, a school. For a building with many
lights and appliances like a school, the solar panel system can only power up to a maximum
of fifty percent of the energy requirement. This is because of the limitations of current solar
technology combined with keeping in mind the safety of the individuals present at the site.

Budgeting

How much would a solar panel system cost?

Solar panel systems in the U.S. cost $3.26 per watt, as of 2017. So, for a 5 kilowatt (kW)
system, which is the most common type, the cost would be $16,300 (EnergySage, 2017). For
the system that is to be used at the school, the pricing is a bit different. Green Mountain is
going to buy the panels in bulk for the school which will lower the cost significantly. The
roof will require 100 panels from Astronergy Panels that will cost $21,000 total (Wholesale
Solar, 2017). There will be four Sunny Boy 8000 inverters installed for the system that cost
$12,000. So the total cost for the purchase of the system is $33,000.

What is the cost of this project?

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(Wholesale Solar, 2017; Solar Schools, 2015)

As you can see, we plan on making this project

financially feasible while making it effective and
efficient. We plan to set up a system that looks
similar to the picture to the right on the roof of the
school. The staffing is going to be taken care of by
our workers who are trained to install these
systems and have done so in the past. The students
have the option to come watch as we set up the
system and even help in carrying the parts so they
feel as if they are a part of the project as well.

Donations

Since 2002, we have received over $3 million

in donations. A majority of our funding is
received through these donations from outside
parties. We offer two options not only for our
consumers but other organizations as well. Any
party can make a donation simply by visiting
our website and using the resource provided to
make a one-time donation of any amount. For
Texas residents, we also allow the opportunity
to sign up for recurring donations of $5 that
will be included on their monthly utility
statement. Most of these donations come from
other organizations or individuals who also
believe that it is our duty as
human beings to create a cleaner world.

Success Rate
Every school that has adopted solar technology as an alternative way to power the building
has been met with successful numbers. There is a total of 3,752 schools nationwide that have
photovoltaic (PV) systems installed somewhere on the property (Solar Energy Industries
Association, 2014). With these systems, there is a (Green Mountain Energy, 2017)
capacity of 490 megawatts (MW) and generate around 640,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of
electricity each year (Solar Energy Industries Association, 2014). A megawatt-hour is the
measurement of constant electricity being used in an hour. All the electricity produced with
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these nationwide PV systems totals at $77.8 million per year which is roughly $21,000 per
school every year (Solar Energy Industries Association, 2014). The average size of one of
these PV systems is 89 kW which is equal to around 18 household solar PV systems. Up to
72,000 schools across the US would be able to install a PV system cost-effectively. In fact, if
all 72,000 schools that could install a system, in relation to their student body size, the
electricity could potentially offset greenhouse gases equal to 1 million cars taken off the road
(Solar Energy Industries Association, 2014).

The first two tables above show which states are ahead of the game in terms of solar
technology adaptation. The third table shows which percentage of schools, in each state,
could benefit from adopting solar panels. Notice how Texas isnt on there anyway. Texas is
ranked 14 in state solar capacity and has 95 schools that have a PV system (Solar Energy
Industries Association, 2014). Our goal is to help Texas be more involved in this solar
mindset much of the nation has started to get in. The main reason schools have gone solar or
are looking to go solar is for financial reasons. Financially, short term there is a deficit due to
purchasing and installation costs, though many schools look at solar energy for its many long
term benefits. In the long run with solar energy the utility costs of the school will drastically
increase, in some cases in the millions over a 30-year period. These potential savings will
continue to increase as advancements in solar technology get discovered Many science,
math, and engineering teachers look at solar installations as an opportunity to educate their
students, and what better way to do so then to experience it firsthand. Lastly of course the
environmental benefit of keeping harmful pollutants out of the environment.
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This table shows the

distribution of PV systems
between public, private, and
other schools/educational
facilities based on the amount
of kW in the system. As you
can see a clear majority of the
schools that have adopted solar
panel systems have been public
schools. This is most like to be
because of the incredible
amount of financial benefits
that a public school would need
to sustain itself versus a private
institution that would not have
as many financial issues.

Targeted Q&A
How does this help reduce ozone pollution?
The solar panels we will install allow the school to rely less on electricity sourced from non-
renewable resources and more on electricity generated from renewable resources. Thus, the
ozone levels around Barbara M. Manns Education Center should decrease over time, and
children will be less likely to be exposed to harmful pollutants in the air.

Authorization Form
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The Dallas Chamber of Commerce hereby authorizes Green Mountain Energy to enact the
Green Mountain Goes to School project. The Chamber of Commerce agrees to assist in
funding for the project by providing half the cost, $21,500, to Green Mountain Energy.
Green Mountain Energy will provide the other half.

Authorization Signatures
Dallas Chamber of Commerce

____________________________ _______________________ ____________

Printed Name Signature Date

References
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American Lung Association. (2015). Dallas-Fort Worth TX-OK American Lung Association
state of the air 2015. Retrieved February 20, 2017 from
http://www.stateoftheair.org/2015/msas/dallas-fort-worth-tx-ok.html#ozone
American Lung Association. (n.d.). Air pollution remains a major danger to the health of
children and adults [Online image]. Retrieved March 18, 2017 from
http://www.lung.org/our-initiatives/healthy-air/sota/health-risks/
Community Power Network. (2015). Solar schools. Retrieved February 2, 2017 from
http://communitypowernetwork.com/sites/default/files/Solar%20Schools_P2%20(2).pdf

Dallas Independent School District. (2017, March). About Barbara M. Manns EC. Retrieved
March 17, 2017 from http://www.dallasisd.org/domain/15807

Energysage. (2016, October 16). What does a 5,000 watt (5kW) solar system cost in the U.S. in
2017. Retrieved March 15, 2017 from http://news.energysage.com/5kw-solar-systems-
compare-prices-installers/

Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Ozone. Retrieved March 18, 2017 from
https://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=aqibasics.ozone
Environmental Protection Agency. (2017, February 27). Ecosystem effects of ozone pollution.
Retrieved February 28, 2017 from https://www.epa.gov/ozone-pollution/ecosystem-
effects-ozone-pollution
Environmental Protection Agency. (2017, March 13). Ozone pollution. Retrieved March 22,
2017 from https://www.epa.gov/ozone-pollution
Environmental Protection Agency. [Untitled graphic of ozone pollution] Retrieved March 18,
2017 from https://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=aqibasics.ozone
Gray, J. (2017, March 16). Pollution from construction. Retrieved March 22, 2017 from
http://www.sustainablebuild.co.uk/pollutionfromconstruction.html
Green Mountain Energy. (2017, March). Green Mountain Energy, our mission. Retrieved March
15, 2017 from https://www.greenmountainenergy.com/our-story/our-company-mission/

Holmes, G.J. (n.d.). [Untitled image of polluted leaf] Retrieved March 17, 2017 from
http://agrihunt.com/articles/horti-industry/air-pollution-effects-on-vegetables/

Rapp, Donald. (1981). Solar energy. Prentice-Hall.

The Dallas Morning News. (2015). D-FW office construction up by 50 percent from 2014
[Online image]. Retrieved March 18, 2017 from
http://www.dallasnews.com/business/ business/2015/03/30/d-fw-office-construction-up-
by-50-percent-from-2014
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The Dallas Morning News. (2015). D/FW congestion goes up, but still not among nations worst
[Online image]. Retrieved March 18, 2017 from
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/transportation/2015/03/31/dfw-congestion-goes-up-
but-still-not-among-nations-worst
Solar Energy Industries Association. (2014, September 18). Brighter future: A study on solar in
U.S schools report. SEIA, Research & Resources. Retrieved March 6, 2017 from
http://www.seia.org/research-resources/brighter-future-study-solar-us-schools-report

Wholesale Solar Panels. (2017). Bulk solar panels by the pallet. Retrieved February 2, 2017 from
http://www.wholesalesolar.com/bulk-solar-panels-by-the-pallet