Northern Lights offers solar tour for SHS students
Bonner County Daily Bee | UPDATED 7 years, 1 month AGO
(Photo courtesy NORTHERN LIGHTS, INC.) SHS chemistry teacher Mamie Brubaker explains how to build a solar power car to race students Chad McIlnay, Nathan Demko, and Marian Soderberg.
(Photo courtesy NORTHERN LIGHTS, INC.)Connor Bird, Dane Featherston, and Carson Wells build a solar circuit to power various devices.
(Photo courtesy NORTHERN LIGHTS, INC.)NLI electrical engineer Clint Brewington explains to SHS students the details of how NLI's 50 kilo-watt solar system produces power.
Northern Lights sponsored the first educational solar tour and workshop for Sandpoint High School students on Oct. 26, at NLI’s Sagle headquarters.
SHS chemistry teacher, Mamie Brubaker, lead two exciting workshops which included teaching SHS juniors and seniors about solar panels, conduits and wires, as well as, the link between solar power and kilowatt hours.
Also, Brubaker provided materials for students to build solar cars and race those cars powered purely by solar energy.
The students then took a tour of NLI’s Community solar system as NLI electrical engineer, Clint Brewington explained the details of how the 50-kilowatt solar system produces power, allowing NLI members to benefit from this increasingly popular source of electricity.
“We saw this as a real opportunity for local students to learn about alternative power,” says NLI’s general manager Annie Terracciano.
“This educational experience reflects NLI’s ongoing commitment to the community and its youth.”
NLI’s power supply currently comes from the Bonneville Power Administration and NLI’s Lake Creek dam. This community solar project is a step in examining additional renewable energy sources.
NLI is offering their members the opportunity to purchase shares of the solar project and to receive energy credits based on its production. With only 67 units out of 386 left for NLI members to purchase, the subscription cost is $300 per unit and a maximum of five units per member. NLI members have the option of financing the cost over 12 months on their electric bill.