HOUSTON, TX — Rosendin, the nation’s largest employee-owned electrical contractor, led dozens of students and teachers from Houston’s South Union community on a private tour of the Aktina Renewable Power Project to educate them about utility scale solar energy. Local Rosendin employees teamed up with the South Union Community Development Corporation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching STEM, to show students how science, technology, engineering, and math are used in renewable energy careers.

Rosendin sponsored the field trip for 36 students, ages 10-18, and six teachers who toured the 4,000-acre solar facility under construction in Wharton County. Electrical workers from IBEW Local 716 demonstrated how they are installing and wiring 1.4 million solar panels and connecting them to the utility grid for use by local communities. When completed later this year, Aktina will have the capacity to generate 500MWac/631MWdc of renewable energy, enough to power 100,000 homes.

“The first Saturday of every month, we educate these students in our Solar Outdoor Classroom where we have a small four-panel solar system that generates 1kW to operate a gate and power an aquaponics garden, but they’ve never seen anything like the Aktina facility,” Efrem Jernigan, President of South Union Community Development. “We are grateful to Rosendin for sponsoring this trip and spending time to educate and inspire these kids to aim high.”

Students also learned about career opportunities in STEM fields and discussed training options after high school, whether they go on to college or join an apprenticeship program.

“Rosendin is happy to provide this private tour and answer questions as grade school is the perfect time to introduce students to solar energy and get them curious about how these systems work,” said Jim Crisafulli, Rosendin Division Manager. “Renewable energy is expanding in Texas and worldwide, and we recognize the importance of reaching young people and opening their minds to career opportunities that can be achieved by taking STEM classes.”

The South Union Community Development Corporation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that teaches children in grades 3-12 by blending STEM learning with hands-on activities like architecture and agriculture. The Rosendin Foundation has been working with the group’s educators to provide resources and tools through an annual grant awarded to the nonprofit for $2,500.

Rosendin’s Renewable Energy Group is constructing the Aktina solar facility with Tokyo Gas America, Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Japan’s largest provider of city gas, Tokyo Gas Co. Ltd. Over the past 15 years, Rosendin has delivered over 3 GW of solar project installations in the U.S. and Canada, with more than 1 GW currently under construction and over 2 GW in development.