Austin Students Get Schooled on Solar

PCI Solar, which is installing a 600 kilowatt portfolio of rooftop solar for Austin Independent School District (AISD), provided classroom instruction in early May to Austin High School engineering students interested in careers in solar.  Austin High is one of the AISD schools receiving a solar energy system, and invited PCI to speak with interested students, some of whom have solar on their homes.  PCI Solar staff provided an overview of how solar energy works, the economic case for solar, and the various types of careers in solar energy.  

"We were really impressed at the knowledge level of these students regarding energy in general and solar specifically," said Mark Hilpert with PCI.  "They asked good questions and had a knowledge far beyond what I had at their age.  If these sorts of kids join our industry, we will be fortunate."

PCI staff and the students discussed a variety of issues including the differences between ground mount, rooftop and carport solar, and the different market opportunities between residential, commercial, and utility scale solar.  An informal poll of the students indicated that at least 25 percent of them were actively considering a career in renewable energy.

PCI is nearing completion on the AISD portfolio, which was won through a public competitive bid process.  AISD valued PCI's experience building solar for other school districts, including Alamo Heights Independent School District in San Antonio, TX and Petaluma City Schools in California.

PCI Solar | www.pcisolar.com