Scenic Hill Solar announces $2 million solar project for Stuttgart School District

The Stuttgart School District in Arkansas County will partner will solar energy developer Scenic Hill Solar in Little Rock to build two solar power plants that will meet 100% of the school district’s electricity demand.

Combined, the 1.5-megawatt solar project can produce more than 2.5 million kilowatt-hours of renewable energy annually. A 1.3-megawatt plant will include a single-axis tracking system and be built in Stuttgart, and a 200-kilowatt plant will be built near the school district’s main campus. The more than $2 million project is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2020. Construction of the power plants is expected to start in the second quarter of 2020.

“The Stuttgart School District is always looking for ways to invest in the educational experiences we offer our students,” Superintendent Rick Gales said. “This partnership offers us the opportunity of utilizing new renewable energy technology, exposing our students to sustainability and being a financial win for our school district as a whole. We believe it is the right example for our students to see us supporting the environment that has supported this farming community for so many decades.”

The solar project will allow the school to offset more than $7 million in electricity costs over the next 30 years. The plants will have more than 3,700 solar panels and produce more than 69.79 million kilowatt-hours of electricity over the next 30 years. The plants are expected to reduce carbon emissions by more than 49,345 metric tons, and this is equal to driving more than 122 million fewer passenger vehicle miles or eliminating the burning of more than 54 million pounds of coal or providing electricity to more than 8,300 homes for a year.

“Scenic Hill Solar is excited to partner with the Stuttgart School District to provide the benefits of solar power,” said Bill Halter, CEO of Scenic Hill Solar. “The Stuttgart community has embraced solar power for its financial benefits and now for its educational benefits as well. We look forward to constructing two world-class solar power plants that will provide clean electricity for Stuttgart for generations to come.”

The Stuttgart School District has more than 1,500 students.

Scenic Hill Solar previously announced it would build a 3.15-megawatt solar power plant for the city of Stuttgart.