If the energy that was generated from a school full of children was able to be harnessed, it would probably be enough to power a whole city. Since that technology has yet to be mastered, Freshwater School is one of several local schools who took advantage of utilizing the sun’s energy to help power its school.

The $200,000 solar energy project at Freshwater School was one of the last in the Solar Schools Program, made available through the state’s energy commission and its Emerging Energy Program — which offered rebates to schools who install solar panels.

A total of 31 schools took part in the program — which is now closed, and over $4.5 million was awarded, the energy commission’s Web site states.

Thom McMahon, Superintendent of Freshwater School District, said the new solar panels are expected to generate enough electricity to take care of 70 to 80 percent of the school’s electricity needs.

“It was just an opportunity that we jumped on,” he said. “It is projected to have a life of 45 years, so it will be a savings for years to come.”

In addition to savings on the school’s PG&E bill, it has provided the perfect opportunity to educate students on ways to be environmentally conscious in a hand-on way, McMahon said.

“It’s part of our curriculum now,” he said. “There’s a printout on the diverter and it keeps an ongoing meter throughout the year, so there’s a lot of educational components to it.”

The panels were installed by local solar energy expert, Roger — who installed solar panels on more than five local schools that also participated in recent solar energy upgrades.

Roger, who said he has been involved in renewable energy for more than 30 years, knew of the Solar Schools program and advised Freshwater School to be ready should another opening be made available.

“The school program is a narrow program — it’s limited. It was like a quick lottery thing, so I told them to have their forms ready. That was my advice: just be ready,” he said.

Then, two schools in the state apparently did not complete their projects, which created the opening that Freshwater School had been waiting for.

“I hand-drove the application to Sacramento,” McMahon said.

Jacoby Creek Charter School jumped at the chance, as well, Roger said.

Roger, who bicycles or drives his electric car to jobs — “There’s no point in installing renewable energy if you’re going to use more energy to install it,” he explained — installed 30 kilowatt systems at both schools.

He said he also purchased inverters — devices that convert power that is fed into a utility grid — that were made in Oregon rather than ones that were made overseas. “If we get all of our things overseas, then it takes more energy to get here,” he explained.

The project was unveiled during the school’s Earth Day celebration last month, which included a tour of the organic garden project that enables students to take part in cultivating and utilizing home-grown fresh produce.

The solar energy project was just one more way the school could teach its students an environmentally friendly way of life, McMahon said.

“It’s another commitment for us to also be able to model for our kids, social consciousness and caring for our environment.”