St. Andrew's Country Day School may look like your typical red brick building, but this elementary school is producing its own electricity and generating a positive buzz within the school population.

St. Andrews and five other Catholic schools have covered their roofs with solar panels and will be drawing a portion of their energy from the sun rather than the 500 megawatt Huntley Power Plant down the street.

The installation was facilitated by a local company called Solar Liberty and Joe Shiah the Facilities Manager says the savings will be significant.

Joseph Shiah/Business and Facilities Manager

"Financially it appears to be a no brainer.  I'm expecting seven to eight thousand dollars a year in savings and last year our electrical bill was about thirty five thousand dollars so that's more than a little bit."

While there may be some solar skeptics out there, Nathan Rizzo of Solar Liberty says Buffalo is a great place to catch some rays.

Nathan Rizzo/Solar Liberty Project Manager

"Buffalo is considered the sunshine capital of the northeast. We receive more sunlight than Albany and New York City and we receive more sunlight than Orlando Florida."

But what happens when the panels get covered with snow?

"Three or four inches of snow still allows the sunlight to go through the snow and hit the module. All the module needs to do is see some sunlight or light and it will be producing energy."

While cost savings is one reason for the project, providing kids with a green learning experience is another.

Viki Ingersoll/Energy Manager for Diocese of Buffalo

"By having the opportunity to see these systems on our buildings and how it works when they go on to high school they will have a better knowledge than a lot of the people they will be joining."

While the solar system is producing energy for the school it is also generating plenty of questions in the minds of the students.

St. Andrew's Student

There's still a lot to learn about these... How they convert... How the wiring is made up, you know all that kind of stuff."

And administrators hope its questions like these which will help shape the way their students think and learn about energy.  In Tonawanda, Meteorologist Andy Parker Channel 2 News.

Solar Liberty is holding a community forum at St. Gregory the Great Wednesday November 5th from 7-9 p.m. all are welcome to attend to learn about solar energy.  For more information you can go to our website wgrz.com.