Solera to kick off Sarcoxie school district project

Last edited 3:26 p.m., June 22, 2022

Springfield-based Solera Energy LLC has set a start date for a Sarcoxie R-II School District solar project.

Officials with Solera, project partner Gardner Capital and the Sarcoxie district are scheduled to be on hand June 27 for a so-called circuit-breaking ceremony, according to a news release. The 2,025-panel solar array was announced late last year.

“This is a historic partnership for renewable energy in Missouri,” Solera CEO Will Cox said in the release.

The ceremony serves as the kickoff for the installation of the solar array, which will be located adjacent to an athletic field at the Sarcoxie campus.

The school district is expected to realize lifetime savings of $4 million from the project, which also will mean the avoidance of 648,000 tons of coal and 16,000 tankers of gas, according to the release.

The solar array additionally will serve as a living laboratory for Sarcoxie students.

“The Sarcoxie R-II School District is excited to partner with Solera,” Sarcoxie Superintendent Phil Lewis said in the release. “We are always looking for innovative ways to improve the district, and Solera was a good answer to our needs.”

Completion is expected in eight to 10 weeks, Cox said.