OAKVILLE, Mo. (AP) - A St. Louis County school district is hoping to see a big reduction in energy costs after installing solar panels.

The Mehlville School District has installed the panels at five schools. District officials say a 20-year lease with panel provider StraightUp Solar is expected to result in $130,000 in energy savings and greatly reduce air pollution emissions.

The project also provides learning opportunities. District students will be able to monitor the effectiveness of the panels through a Web-based monitoring system.

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