Ameresco Commits $20,000 to Solar Car Racers

a solar car in arizona

NEWBURGH, N.Y.--Ameresco, an energy services company with offices across North America has made a $20,000 donation to rebuild a solar powered car that students at Newburgh Free Academy (NFA) in Newburgh, New York will race across the country next summer.

NFA’s Solar Racing Team will compete against teams from schools in the US and abroad in a contest that begins in Round Rock, Texas on July 14 and is scheduled to end in Newburgh eight days later.

“Ameresco believes in supporting activities like the NFA Solar Racing Team that teach young people to become active stewards of their environment by encouraging responsible energy use and renewable energy innovation,” said Ameresco Executive Vice President David J. Anderson.

Joining Anderson at a check presentation ceremony at NFA were U.S. Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Newburgh Mayor Nicholas Valentine, Newburgh School Superintendent Dr. Annette Saturnelli and more than 40 NFA students.

Ameresco – which works with governments, and commercial and industrial businesses to develop energy saving solutions and renewable energy generation worldwide – is supporting the NFA Solar Racing Team through the company’s Better Schools Partnership, which supports youth programs that focus on math, science and engineering.

“We’d hoped that a local sponsor would step up and support these deserving kids and Ameresco has done just that,” said Christopher Eachus, advisor to the student solar racing team.

Eachus said Richard E. Kohrs, who manages Ameresco’s Newburgh office, learned about the project when he met some of the participating students who were engaged in fundraising. After meeting with the race team’s leaders, and learning of the repairs needed, Kohrs agreed to support the project.

The students’ racecar is equipped with 12 batteries that get their power from solar energy collected by flexible solar cells that blanket the upper half of the car. The contribution from Ameresco will pay for fiberglass and welding work as well as replacement solar cells.