COCONUT GROVE, FLA. (WSVN) - Four students at Ransom Everglades School have unveiled a project aiming to use solar energy to help the environment.
With the flip of a switch, a year-long goal finally saw the light of day at the Coconut Grove school, Tuesday.
Back in 2020, the students saw the change that was possible and were energized into action.
“It started when we started researching about solar energy,” said Madison Munroe, one of the students.
Madison, her twin brother Wirth and brothers Daniel and Julian Stancioff then got to work.
“The panels were installed on the middle school campus, and we were very motivated to make an impact on our environment,” said Madison.
The students successfully petitioned the school’s board of trustees to support solar installations.
“There were so many obstacles that we had to overcome with getting these installed,” said Madison.
Two years later, 305 panels now top the private school’s gymnasium.
Goldin Solar, also in Coconut Grove, was the company that installed the panels.
“That was really exciting to me, because my mom went to high school at Ransom Everglades, and we’re a local company that operate in Coconut Grove, and it just felt really cool to be the company putting in a very large, very significant solar system,” said Daren Goldin, the company’s founder and CEO.
“We will be saving Ransom $25,000 to $30,000 a year, and each panel produces around 365 kilowatts,” she said.
It’s a small local step toward tackling global warming, which is caused by carbon emissions.
“Miami-Dade County has a community-wide goal of reducing our carbon emission by 50% by 2030 and to net zero by 2050,” said Jane Gilbert, the county’s chief heat officer. “This leadership role from Ransom Everglades really helps us get to our goal.”
The benefits could go toward saving green well beyond Ransom Everglades.
“I really hope to inspire other schools to install panels, not only because it will help the environment, but it can save a lot of schools’ money,” said Madison.
Officials believe the solar panels at Ransom Everglades to be one of the largest installations on a school in South Florida.
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