Helping the Environment Solar schools offset about 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. That's equivalent t
BRIGHTER FUTURE OVERVIEW OF SOLAR SCHOOLS IN THE U.S. Growth of Solar Schools
Falling Costs $7.00
5,489
910
Cumulative Installed Capacity (Megawatts)
2010
2011
$4.00 $3.00 $2.00
$0
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017 (thruQ3)
SOLAR SCHOOLS
STATE BY STATE
WHY Saving Money
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
School solar installations produce 1.4 million megawatt-hours of electricity annually, enough to power over 190,000 homes.
2016
2017
190,000 HOMES
13%
California leads the nation with 1,946 solar schools and 489 megawatts of installed solar capacity.
An investment in solar can reduce electricity bills.
$5.00
$1.00
17 2009
Installed Price ($/watt)
$6.00
K-12 solar schools in U.S.
2008
The cost of installing solar in schools has decreased more than 60% over the last seven years.
of schools in New jersey use solar
23% of schools in Nevada use solar
15%
14%
of schools in California use solar
of schools in Arizona use solar
15%
0%
0%3%
3%5%
5%10%
10%15%
of schools in Hawaii use solar
ARE SCHOOLS GOING SOLAR? Staying Safe Solar can provide backup power during emergencies and outages.
New Learning Opportunities Students gain hands-on exposure to solar power to help with their education in STEM subjects.
Helping the Environment Solar schools offset about 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. That’s equivalent to taking 221,000 cars off the road or planting 27 million trees.
ABOUT 5% OF U.S. SCHOOLS USE SOLAR. THAT’S 95% LEFT TO GO!
15%+
LET’S GO SOLAR!
A HOW-TO GUIDE FOR SCHOOLS Assess Interest and Identify Solar Champions • Find and engage key students, teachers, parents, staff, or community members • Identify leaders who can advocate for the project • Educate the school community on benefits and opportunities of solar • Build consensus
STEP 1
Determine Energy Savings, System Size, and Economic Feasibility
STEP 2
• Assess your current energy use and costs • Determine the energy savings potential from solar • Consider rooftop, parking lot, and ground-mounted systems • Estimate project costs
Identify Financing Options • Determine if system will be financed as part of a larger capital improvement campaign • Determine whether district will own the system or will accept third-party ownership • Investigate federal, state, and utility incentives • Determine if net metering is available
STEP 3
Identify Regulatory Requirements STEP 4
• Understand state and local regulations • Anticipate, plan, and budget for regulatory requirements • Address regulatory constraints where feasible
Prepare and Issue the Request for Proposal • Include information on project feasibility and regulatory requirements in the RFP • Make sure to follow all state procurement procedures • Establish common criteria and scoring parameters
STEP 5
Evaluate and Select the Solar Installer
STEP 6
• Aim for at least three submissions from qualified and experienced installers • Consider educational opportunities when weighing proposals • Evaluate responses, select and negotiate a contract with the preferred contractor
Download the Brighter Future report at www.TheSolarFoundation.org/Solar-Schools
Learn how your school can go solar at www.GoSolarSchools.org
