The Huntington Beach City School District in southern California broke ground this morning on a 618-kilowatt solar system that will provide 30 percent of the district’s energy needs and pay for itself.

The school district partnered with Chevron Energy solutions to install the system

“We had an opportunity to get financing that would pay for the installation through energy savings,” said Jon Archibald, spokesman for the school district.

The photovoltaic solar panels are being installed on new shade structures at three elementary schools and two middle schools, Archibald said.

Construction and installation crews will take advantage of the holiday school breaks and have about three weeks to work between the end of November and the end of the year when there won’t be any students in the schools, Archibald said.

“It should take about six weeks to do the work,” Archibald said. “And then hopefully the sun will shine.”

The weather was rainy and gray today during the ground-breaking ceremony. Archibald said the whole year has been a bit drearier than usual along the southern Pacific coast, but he’s hopeful things will brighten up.

Even if they don’t, numerous solar research projects, such as Solar Pie in Seattle, have shown that photovoltaic panels produce energy even on the grayest days.

“Hopefully we’ll be up and running right after the first of the year,” Archibald said.

He was impressed by how well organized the project is and how quickly it could be installed, he said.

In addition to the solar panels, the district is also installing energy-efficient lights to cut energy costs.

Altogether, the projects are expected to pay for themselves and soon begin offering a 15 percent or more reduction in utility costs, Archibald said. The savings are extremely welcome in a state where education is known nationally to be hit particularly hard by the economic woes of the government.

In addition to the financial advantages, the project will make an environmental difference. The solar panels are expected to produce enough energy to eliminate the district’s carbon emissions by 1,200 metric tons, equivalent to removing nearly 250 cars from the road or planting more than 270 acres of trees.

“We’re really excited,” Archibald said.

Pictured: Chevron Energy Solution's installer outside school. Image courtesy of Chevron.