Geothermal energy put to test at schools

Some school districts in Arizona are considering geothermal energy to reduce utility costs. Earlier this month, the Cave Creek Unified School District governing board approved the drilling of a test well at its high-school campus.

K.M. Drilling, a Camp Verde firm, will drill a 250-foot test well on Jan. 10 on the campus at Cactus Shadows High School at no cost to the district. Corgan Associates, a Phoenix architecture firm, has spoken with the Paradise Valley Unified School District about a similar project


“You can lead this state out of the prehistoric age in some respects and get on board with some of these energy savings,” Erickson told the board.

…”If we can look for energy resources that will eventually save the district money and be more energy-efficient for our schools, then it makes sense,” said Casey Perkins, a member of the Cave Creek board.

Perkins said that she first would need to see a cost analysis and that the plan would need community input. She added that geothermal is not the only cost-saving measure under consideration.

Penn estimated that retrofitting the science building at Cactus Shadows would cost $250,000 to $350,000.

Arizona Republic