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ST. LOUIS, MO (KPLR) – The price we pay for our heating and cooling bills seems like’s it’s going through the roof. A Central West End school leader is putting his roof to work. Crossroads College Preparatory School is soaking up the sun, and that makes Clark Daggett a happy man.

“Over ten years we will save a minimum of $30,000.” said Clark Daggett.

The school, which houses 7TH through 12th graders is getting the upgrade thanks to a lease program with St. Louis based Straight Up Solar. Straight Up Solar says the Show Me State IS pretty reliant on coal, more so than most states. According to the company 80% of Missouri energy usage comes from coal, more than two times the national average.


“It’s 364 solar panels and over the ten year lease it will offset one million pounds of coal.” said Erin Noble.

“When the solar panels are producing power and we’re at minimum usages periods, whatever excess power we produce will go back into the grid. We’ll get a credit for that further reducing the cost of our utilities here and Ameren will sell that power to other customers here in Missouri.” said Clark Daggett.

This isn’t the first time Crossroads has chosen to be eco-friendly. In 2008 they installed four sky lights and here in the science hallway five solar tubes. Crossroads students will be able to study their new solar panel system to see the minute by minute usage. Crossroads has already reduced their energy bills but there`s been one drawback.

“We heat all the hot water in our science labs and the cafeteria through solar power which in fact works so well we have to add cold water to it. Cause the waters too hot. The water is too hot.” said Clark Daggett.

That`s better than being in hot water over a high energy bill, any day.

Patrick Clark, NEWS 11.

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