Photo: Stafford County Public Schools
The school's 1.8-megawatt (MW) solar farm, the largest in Virginia, is online — and the US needs to do more of this.
School roof solar in Virginia
Stafford County Public Schools has partnered with Madison Energy Infrastructure (MEI) of New York to install rooftop solar at North Stafford High School. It is made up of 3,300 solar panels, and will save the school system an estimated $2.8 million in electricity bills over the next 25 years. The roof will also generate 54 million kilowatt hours of clean energy and remove 41,583 tons of CO2.
Installation of this project in Stafford County, which is 40 kilometers south of Washington, DC, began in February of this year, and the ribbon cutting ceremony was yesterday.
Students will learn about solar radiation using MEI's Solar Schools curriculum, which integrates real-time data from solar panels into energy and science lessons. Students have started using MEI's solar-powered school modules and a VR educational tour on the roof.
“This rooftop solar system represents a milestone for our school district,” said Maureen Siegmund, chair of the Stafford school board. “We are proud to be a part of this energy and cost saving project and provide our students with real-world educational opportunities to engage in this field at North Stafford High School.”
According to a Generation180 study on solar capacity in US K-12 schools released last month, Virginia ranked 9th among states for collecting solar capacity on solar roofs in schools. It has 180 arrays and a solar capacity of 55,423 kW. The study found that 1 in 9 US students is now in a solar-powered school and that more than 800 K-12 schools have added new solar panels by 2022-2023.
Electrek's Take
Like warehouses and box stores, solar on a flat roof, on a school roof is a complete no-brainer. It saves a ton of money for schools, which are always on tight budgets and reduces overall carbon emissions.
Generation180 research states that 80% of the combined solar capacity installed in K-12 schools is funded primarily by third-party ownership models such as power purchase agreements and leases (the other 20% is direct ownership).
The study states, “Effective third-party ownership agreements remove the cost barrier of up-front costs, stabilize long-term electricity prices, and create immediate savings.”
There is no reason that school rooftop solar should not be rolled out immediately in every state, because everyone wins.
Read more: Rooftop solar installed in West Virginia public schools – why that's a big deal
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