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April 21, 2000 GOVERNOR'S EARTH DAY EVENT FEATURES ENERGY EDUCATION Governor Shaheen Tours Hopkinton High School's Roof-Top Solar Electric System as Part of Earth Day 2000 Event In keeping with this year's Earth Day focus on energy, Gov. Shaheen highlighted three Governor's Office of Energy and Community Services' programs that are helping businesses, schools, and governments save on energy bills and help the environment at an Earth Day event at Hopkinton High School. As part of the event, Hopkinton teacher Will Renauld gave the Governor a tour of the school's roof-top 2 kilowatt solar electric (photovoltaic) system installed in 1999 as part of the energy office's Solar on Schools Program. Hopkinton's solar system will generate enough electricity to power 10 computers for four or five hours a day and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 3,000 pounds a year. The Solar on Schools Program is also sponsored by Public Service of New Hampshire and Solar Works, Inc., Wilton, NH. As part of the program, participating schools are incorporating educational materials on renewable energy provided by the program into their curriculum. Other schools receiving solar systems last year were John Stark Regional High School, Weare; Kennett High School, Conway, and Newmarket High School. Additional schools will install solar systems under the program this year. Gov. Shaheen also discussed the energy office's New Hampshire Green Schools Program which brings together students, teachers, school maintenance staff, and community partners to work to lower school energy costs. Koby Van Beest, a teacher at Mascoma High School, outlined energy education activities he uses in his classroom. Steve Davis of Timkin Aerospace in Lebanon described how his company, after attending an energy office workshop, upgraded all its lighting, a project that will save $100,000 a year in energy costs. The Governor also announced in Hopkinton that the energy office had been awarded a $30,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy for work to promote solar energy in New Hampshire as part of Department's Million Solar Roofs Initiative. The goal of the Initiative is to have one million solar systems installed in the United States by 2010. For more information on the Solar on Schools program, contact: Bio-Oil
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