Central Columbia School District: Solar-Powered Smart Schools
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Central Columbia School District: Solar-Powered Smart Schools

Solar roof array - Central Columbia School District not pictured
  • Aderis Energy installed an integrated solar energy system for Central Columbia School District’s high school and middle school buildings.
  • The solar arrays on the rooftops and grounds of the schools aim to decrease overall energy demand.
  • Aderis Energy’s Acuity™ Edge computing platform will collect data and offer real-time dashboards.

The Central Columbia School District in Pennsylvania has embraced solar energy to power its high school and middle school buildings. Aderis Energy, a provider of renewable energy solutions, recently completed the installation of a state-of-the-art integrated system for the schools.


Harnessing the Sun for Education

The new solar arrays, a combination of rooftop and ground-mount installations, aim to significantly reduce the schools’ overall energy demand. The Central Columbia School District is interconnected with PPL Electric Utilities, which meant the project had to adhere to specific grid reliability standards. The schools’ two unique interconnections mandated intertie protection relaying (IPR) and close monitoring and control of the solar arrays’ inverters. 

Aderis Energy delivered a PPL-compliant IPR solution and a unified monitoring and control system, seamlessly integrating metering, protection relaying, inverters, and weather sensors.

Utilizing the schools’ existing local area network, Aderis Energy eliminated unnecessary cellular data charges and equipment costs. Their portfolio aggregation solutions empower the school district to monitor and control multiple energy assets with ease, advancing renewable energy adoption rapidly. 


Acuity™: The Solar Mastermind

Aderis Energy’s proprietary Acuity™ Edge computing platform played a crucial role in this project. Acuity is a tool that collects actionable data while providing real-time dashboards and alerts for asset management. In addition, Acuity uses a kiosk dashboard with educational displays to complement the school district’s renewable energy curriculum.

Acuity’s flexibility eliminates the need for multiple installations or licenses even in complex multi-array systems and microgrids, leading to cost savings for the school district. With Acuity, the owners can monitor multiple solar arrays and gather information for revenue recognition, load analysis, and array performance with just a single installation. The platform even optimizes the use of weather sensors, translating data for each array’s specific tilt and orientation, ensuring accurate performance analysis and enhanced operational efficiency.


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SOURCE | FEATURE IMAGE: ADERIS ENERGY | MANNY BECERRA

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AUTHOR: 

JESSICA MCCORMICK

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