Three solar panels, costing more than $160,000, are now sitting outside of Missoula Sentinel High School as part of the Missoula Urban Solar Pilot Project to research renewable energy.

NorthWestern Energy spokesman Steve Clawson says the project will help deliver clean energy to the city and provide a platform for learning.

“Our future leadership is in the schools coming up, and they need to understand as much as they can about renewable energy, solar in particular, and this is an opportunity to do that,” Clawson said.