Ransom Everglades students install 305 solar panels atop gym in energy-saving project – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports
COCONUT GROVE, FLA. (WSVN) – – Four students from Ransom Everglades School have unveiled a project to use solar energy to help the environment.
In the blink of an eye, a one-year goal finally saw the light of day at the school in Coconut Grove on Tuesday.
In 2020, students saw the change that was possible and were energized to take action.
“It started when we started researching solar energy,” said Madison Munroe, one of the students.
Madison, her twin brother Wirth and her brothers Daniel and Julian Stancioff then got to work.
“The signs were put up on the college campus and we were very motivated to make an impact on our environment,” Madison said.
The students succeeded in asking the school board to support the solar installations.
“There were so many hurdles that we had to overcome to get them set up,” Madison said.
Two years later, 305 panels now dominate the private school’s gymnasium.
Goldin Solar, also in Coconut Grove, is the company that installed the panels.
“It was really exciting for me, because my mom went to high school in Ransom Everglades, and we’re a local business that operates in Coconut Grove, and it was really cool to be the business that’s setting up a very large, very important solar system,” said Daren Goldin, founder and CEO of the company.
“We’ll save Ransom $25,000 to $30,000 a year, and each panel produces about 365 kilowatts,” she said.
It is a small local step towards the fight against global warming, which is caused by carbon emissions.
“Miami-Dade County has a community-wide goal to reduce our carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050,” said Jane Gilbert, Director of Heating. County. “This leadership role from Ransom Everglades is really helping us achieve our goal.”
The benefits could go toward saving the green far beyond Ransom Everglades.
“I really hope to inspire other schools to put up signs, not only because it will help the environment, but it can save schools a lot of money,” Madison said.
Officials believe the Ransom Everglades solar panels are one of the largest installations at a school in South Florida.
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