The Benefits of Bringing Solar Energy to Schools

When it comes to large places that could benefit from solar energy, schools are at the very top of the list. After all, they not only have large buildings, but they also use a ton of energy, and how that energy works is also taught to the children who go to the school. Although the US has seen a significant number of schools taking advantage of solar energy recently, there are tens of thousands more that could see significant cost benefits, among other things, by making the switch. With large, flat rooftops and enormous parking lots free of shade, schools are a critical resource for renewable energy for their communities. Let’s look at the main three benefits schools will have if they make the switch to solar.

It will save the schools a ton of money.

Let’s face it, if anyone could use financial savings, it’s our schools, who are often the first ones hit when budget cuts occur in U.S. cities.

Although most schools do not have the option of taking advantage of state and federal solar tax incentives as nonprofit entities, they can still benefit from these policies through on-site power purchase agreements (PPA). PPAs are contracts where solar energy companies finance, build, own, and maintain a system on the customer’s site and sell the solar electricity generated back to the organization at a reduced, fixed rate – usually at a significant discount compared to what the utility charges for electricity. This rate is offered over an extended period of time—typically 15 to 20 years. Under this model, the customer incurs no (or very low) upfront costs and saves money in the long term.

Under PPAs, the cost savings inherited by a school’s transition to solar are truly substantial. For example, Solect installed a 137 kilowatt solar energy system on the roof of the Albert H. Gordon Field House of Roxbury Latin school through a PPA agreement, and the school has projected savings of nearly $100,000 over the next 15 years. With the reduced and predictable electricity rates offered to schools through PPAs, it is common to see a considerable amount of money saved over the lifespan of the system—especially when solar schools are protected from unstable utility costs.

It will help the school be part of the environmental revolution and teach its students about renewable energy.

Using a source of renewable energy helps not only your individual school, but the contiguous neighborhood as well. Installing solar enables your school to run on clean energy while at the same time combating greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. In addition, especially with an on-site solar installation, it reduces dependence on outsourced fossil fuels and promotes renewable energy use in the surrounding area. On top of that, it’s a great way for students to learn about climate change and what they can do as our future generation.

It’s a learning experience in other ways, too.

On top of gaining knowledge about renewable energy and climate change, students can also gain knowledge specifically about solar energy, which is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. Not only does a solar energy system encourage sustainable practices among the student body, but many schools with solar have gone as far as integrating the system into their learning curriculum through science and/or math classes. For example, the Roxbury Latin School’s solar system has been used in the school’s science curriculum. The school has added an interactive kiosk that provides data streaming access that students can assess to measure the output of the solar panels, fostering an enriching learning environment.

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