Our Initiative
The mission of the Maize Solar Initiative is to install systems that convert sunlight into electricity thus saving the district money, reducing carbon emissions, and leaving a legacy for future generations.
Grand Plan
- Raise $385,000 to install solar panels on Maize High School
- The approximate savings of $3000/month will be placed in a solar savings account with the cumulative account balance on the website
- Once sufficient savings have reached a threshold, Maize South High School will outfitted with solar panels and those savings added to the solar savings account.
- Continue to add more schools as the savings become exponential. Due to regulations, other schools will be limited to a 150 kW system to maintain net metering.
- Once all of the schools have solar panels, then all of the savings will then be available for enhanced curriculum, technology, reduced class size, etc.
Three Primary Selling Points
- Environmental – reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 240 tons/year*
- Fiscal – Each 240 kW system will save approximately $36,000/year and each 150 kW system would save approximately $23,000/year.*
- Legacy – Leaving the world a better place for future generations.
- potential schools with 150 kW capacity
Timeline
- November 28, 2017 Steering Committee meets for first time
- Begin identifying donors, establishing network, and strategies
- January, 2018 – Establish online presence with SeeBeyondMaize.com with capacity to accept funds electronically.
- February – May, 2018 – Meet with donors
- Summer of 2018 – Kickoff party to raise awareness and celebrate success
- Fall of 2018 – let contract out for bids with hope of starting instillation late fall, 2018
- Begin savings account that is visible at the website seebeyondmaize.com
- Fall of 2019 start installation on second building
Funding Sources
- Phase One – Donors [740 for 740] If an individual or group [for example, the class of 2005] donates $740 to cover the cost of one of the 740 panels, their names will be added to scrolling video that will be displayed on 4 LCD screens throughout the school. They will also have the chance to add a short video that will play or image that will be shown.
- Companies that support the campaign will also have the company logos on display and the chance to add a video and listed as donors on the website.
- Major donors will receive additional recognition on video displays throughout the district.
Phase Two – Donors, grants, and foundations
Phase Three – Crowd funding through raising monies from individual classes and memorials.
Long Term Goals
- Establish training program for solar panel techs through Career and Technical Education
- Replicate program in other districts/states
- Become leader in the state and Midwest for sustainable energy production and community/schools partnership.
- Create a new foundation to assist smaller schools with seed money to start their own initiative.
- Create an international coalition of supporters to start solar initiatives around the world.