Holston View Elementary in Bristol, Tenn., has won Solar Project of the Year from Solar Builder magazine. The 50kW solar pavilion system - consisting of 200 MAGE Solar AC modules powered by SolarBridge Technologies microinverters - was selected as winner of the Ground Mount category by Solar Builder readers.

Ecological Energy Systems installed the solar canopy system featuring AC modules as a safe, efficient alternative to a DC system. Mounted on a Schletter carport system, the canopy can house all 400 elementary school students underneath and provides a unique educational experience as a functioning outdoor classroom/ 'learning lab.'

The system is the brainchild of Holston View Principal Jerry Poteat and Pete Morenings of Ecological Energy Systems. Choosing ACPV technology over the more conventional DC system enables the school to get maximum energy from its investment, according to Poteat.

Financed by a power purchase agreement (PPA) the school incurred no out-of-pocket costs for the system and expects to generate the equivalent of eight homes' worth of electricity per day.

The array's monitoring system gives the students an online view of every module's power production and translates the output in real-world equivalent terms such as lightbulbs, trees and carbon emissions avoided.

The pavilion's concrete slab base will double as a giant game board - another opportunity to teach students about alternative energy and ecological responsibility - and a few algebra and science skills along the way.