Dive Brief:

• Warwick School District in upstate New York is investing $4.7 million in a solar project that could cut its energy costs in half by the time it’s completed next year.
• The solar panels will be situated on an open area near one of the district’s elementary schools and will produce 2-megawatts of electricity.
• In total, the district expects to save about $300,000 a year for 18 years, but the solar field could eventually cover all of the district’s electricity costs if built out fully. 

Dive Insight:

Solar installations on schools have started to gain traction, in part because technological and cultural changes have boosted renewable energy’s popularity. For example, a Wisconsin district installed a solar refueling station for its hybrid school buses. But solar has also proven to be a key part of many districts’ cost-saving strategies, with a big investment up front for longterm savings. Last year, a study from the Energy Department and the Solar Energy Industries Association found that schools alone could produce a third of the solar energy currently being generated. Already, more than 3,000 schools nationwide have some solar energy production. The report found that those schools free up enough money by doing so to pay 2,200 additional teachers a salary of $35,672.

Some states have backed these efforts, including Rhode Island. One way to do so is by using performance grants, which require projects to save as much or more money than they cost. Warwick’s solar installation was funded using a performance grant, which ensures taxpayers don’t have to pay additional dollars for the work.