South Florence High School wins solar panels through SunSense Schools Program

FLORENCE – South Florence High School is one of five winning schools across the Carolinas that will receive a solar photovoltaic (PV) installation through Progress Energy’s SunSenseSM schools program.

Chosen from 12 finalists, the school will receive a 2-kilowatt solar PV demonstration system, valued at more than $20,000, as part of a partnership between Progress Energy Carolinas and the Carolina Hurricanes Kids ’N Community Foundation.

SunSense schools is a hands-on educational program for middle school and high school students that encourages them to develop innovative energy solutions. The solar demonstration array will be connected to the school’s electrical system and to Internet monitoring equipment, so students can view the panels' real-time electricity production. Educational materials will also be provided to teachers to help South Florence High School integrate renewable energy learning opportunities into the classroom.

"We are excited to provide South Florence High School with this unique, powerful tool for learning about the practical applications of solar energy," said Mindy Taylor, community relations manager for Progress Energy. "The enthusiasm for energy education from Florence teachers and students is encouraging for the future of alternative energy."

Funding for the program was provided through grants from the Progress Energy Foundation and the Carolina Hurricanes Kids ’N Community Foundation, which is affiliated with the National Hockey League team. The systems will be installed by Argand Solar, a North Carolina-based renewable energy company.

"The Carolina Hurricanes and the Kids 'N Community Foundation understand the importance of advancements in renewable energy resources and we were excited to partner with Progress Energy on the SunSense schools program," said Doug Warf, executive director of the Kids 'N Community Foundation. "Our initial excitement was definitely warranted as we were very overly impressed by all of schools who applied."

The other Progress Energy SunSense schools program winners are Owen Middle School in Swannanoa, N.C., Jordan-Matthews High School in Siler City, N.C., Daniels Middle School in Raleigh, N.C., and South Brunswick High School in Southport, N.C.

"We were thrilled at the opportunity to apply for this grant. Our staff and students put a lot of heart, mind and soul into the application process, and we are very grateful that the larger South Florence community of parents, elected officials, and business leaders were enthusiastic and supportive as well," said Neal Vincent, principal of South Florence High School. "We look forward to being the South Carolina pilot site for this solar panel initiative. We know this will change the lives of our students, as well the lives of the students who come to visit and learn with us. We could not be more excited!"

South Florence High School was chosen from nearly 30 schools that applied to be a part of the program. Finalist schools participated in a professional solar site evaluation and completed an energy project that was judged in regional competitions in December. Additional information on the Progress Energy SunSense schools program is available at www.progress-energy.com/sunsense energy.com/sunsense> .

The Carolina Hurricanes Kids ‘N Community Foundation provides much needed funding to children’s charities and education programs throughout North Carolina. The Foundation has funded scholarship programs, youth hockey, educational and literacy efforts, children’s health programs, the arts and other children’s related initiatives. Annually, the Foundation provides cash and in-kind contributions of more than $1 million to charitable and educational programs in North Carolina. Every member of the Hurricanes organization is actively involved in community activities and the Hurricanes take great pride in the ability to have a positive impact in our state.

Progress Energy (NYSE: PGN), headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., is a Fortune 500 energy company with more than 22,000 megawatts of generation capacity and $9 billion in annual revenues. Progress Energy includes two major electric utilities that serve approximately 3.1 million customers in the Carolinas and Florida. The company has earned the Edison Electric Institute's Edison Award, the industry's highest honor, in recognition of its operational excellence, and was the first utility to receive the prestigious J.D. Power and Associates Founder's Award for customer service. The company is pursuing a balanced strategy for a secure energy future, which includes aggressive energy-efficiency programs, investments in renewable energy technologies and a state-of-the-art electricity system. Progress Energy celebrated a century of service in 2008. Visit the company’s Web site at www.progress-energy.com energy.com/> .