Penta Career Center turns on solar array

PERRYSBURG, Ohio (WTVG) - The sun shines on Penta Career Center Friday and there is now lots of space to catch the rays.

“We had that stretch of really nice sunny weather,” Penta Career Center Superintendent Ed Ewers said. “We basically went live with the power on August 8. We always wish we had a couple weeks in advance to collect a little more of those sun rays. Other than that, this has been a perfect project.”

There is the physical project plus the data inside and for the classrom. Anyone can view how much energy panels bring in as it happens. Whether it is on an interactive screen in the Penta operations building or on the Penta Career Center website.

“It’s always nice seeing something innovative,” Penta Career Center senior Joshua Chonko said. “Especially if it produces 60 percent of the power of our school. Green energy is really nice.”

Joshua’s uncle graduated from Penta Career Center and that uncle works in the electricity field today. Joshua wants to pursue green energy and his classmate Devin Thompson had the green light as a kid to learn about electricity.

“Every since I was little, I just like playing with wires and stuff,” Thompson said. “Learning how to do all this stuff, how all the wires are ran and everything it’s just really interesting to me. I like it and feel like it will help me further my career in construction electricity.”

Those wires need a base and students can learn about building that base for the physical solar array structure with an outdoor work space next to the school’s fire science house.

“This is our 55th year as an entity as Penta Career Center,” Ewers said. “We’re the first high school to have this type of large solar array as part of what we do. Having kids on campus is another great shot in the arm to really be a nice addition to the start of the year.”

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