Touched by the sun

Ripona Elementary School unveiled its new solar panels at an energy fair this week.

Oven temperatures reached up to 250 degrees.

The school took advantage of a $25,000 grant from PG&E through the company’s Solar Schools program.

The grant covered the solar electric generation system and other solar projects, along with curriculum, training for teachers and an online monitoring system that enables students to compare the school’s solar panel output with that of other PG&E grant recipient schools throughout the state.

The Solar Schools program includes installation of photovoltaic systems in public schools, a solar-based curriculum training package, workshops for teachers and Bright Ideas grants.

Since its inception in 2004, PG&E shareholders have contributed more than $8 million to the PG&E Solar Schools program.