ten K-12 schools have adopted solar energy, Solar installations for public and private schools in the U.S. have tripled since 2015. Your school could benefit from it, too.
Schools from grades K-12 are adopting solar energy at an accelerated pace as they target improved sustainability and reduced energy costs. Since 2015, solar for schools has tripled, and now 9% of schools source electricity from PV, said a report by Generation180. Energy is second only to teacher salaries when it comes to cost, according to NREL, and U.S. schools spend more than $6 billion a year on the line item. Solar presents an opportunity for schools to alleviate budget pressure, often at little or no upfront cost, freeing up funds for more educational benefits.ten K-12 schools have adopted solar energy. Schools often sign a power purchase agreement (PPA) when going solar, allowing the school to buy the electricity produced by the solar installation for 10-25 years at a discounted rate, serving up cost savings from day one The report found that 87% of schools enter third-party power purchase agreements, while the remainder own their systems. Nearly half (47%) of the public schools that have invested in solar are eligible for the Title 1 Schoolwide Program, which serves a large population of low-income students.
“The benefits of solar energy are now reaching a broad range of schools across the country, including schools in under-resourced communities that stand to gain the most from the energy cost savings and educational opportunities that solar technology providesten K-12 schools have adopted solar energy, . We are striving for all schools and communities, regardless of their size, geography, or wealth, to have access to clean and affordable power,” said Tish Tablan, lead report author and director of Generation180’s Solar For All Schools Program. The report found the U.S. is home to 8,409 solar schools, with over 6.1 million students in attendance. Many K-12 schools are giving students hands-on STEM learning opportunities and job training for solar careers, using solar development and installation as a case study. In Denver Public Schools’ Renewable Energy Academy, high school students begin preparing for employment as solar installers. Solar installation is expected to become one of the country’s fastest growing occupations over the next decade.
Source: This news is originally published by pv magazine USA