SOLAR FOR SCHOOLS
APRIL 2013
NATIONAL SOLAR SCHOOLS MOVEMENT
• National movement among K-12 schools across the
country to go solar
• More than 500 K-12 schools in 43 states have gone
solar in last three years
• Part of larger effort by educators to:
• Create educational opportunities
• Save money
• Reduce carbon footprints
TAKING SCHOOLS SOLAR
• Wide range of effective models
• Every project reflects needs and goals of school
• Two major approaches
• Large vs. small
• Direct ownership vs. third-party ownership
SMALL SYSTEMS
• Small, 1-5 kW projects
• Installed in highly visible areas
• Designed to demonstrate how solar works
• Easy to incorporate into curriculum and activities
because highly visible
• Often implemented by individual schools or groups of
parents
EXAMPLE
• Illinois Solar
Schools Program
helps K-12 schools
install 1 kW
demonstration
systems with online
monitoring systems
• Since 2006 the
Program has
funded projects at
over 220 schools
LARGE SYSTEMS
• Large solar installation on roof, parking lot, or open
area
• Include multiple buildings within school district
• Offsets significant portion of school’s electric bill
• Often planned as part of large building or renovation
project, included in master plan for district
EXAMPLE
• Milpitas School
District in California
installed solar parking
lot canopies on 14
properties
• District will save $12
million on electric bills
over 25-years
MODEL FOR TAKING SCHOOLS SOLAR
• Direct ownership
• Purchase solar systems outright
• Retain RECs and incentives
• See immediate savings on utility bills
• Must provide upfront capital to pay for system
• Cannot take advantage of federal and state tax incentives
EXAMPLES OF DIRECT OWNERSHIP MODELS
• Bake Sale Model
• Uses a combination of grants and fundraising to cover the entire
cost of a solar system
• Do not sign any long-term contracts with the installer
• Good fit if:
• Proposed system is small
• Goal is to have a solar demonstration project
• Have funding opportunities/grants available
• Are located in wealthy community
• Have student body that is large
and/or very active
EXAMPLES OF DIRECT OWNERSHIP MODELS
• Do-It-Yourself Model
• Fundraise the cost of the system
• Community members, parents, or teachers install the panels
with the help of an installer
• Good fit if:
• Local installer is interested/willing to provide a discount on the
system cost in exchange for help from community
• Community members with solar installation or electrical
experience are interested in helping with the project.
EXAMPLES OF DIRECT OWNERSHIP MODELS
• State or Utility Solar Schools Programs
• Some states offer state-sponsored or utilitysponsored programs that provide schools
with grants for solar systems
• For example: PG&E Foundation, TXU Energy,
and the Illinois Clean Energy Community
Foundation
• Visit your local utility’s website or check out
http://www.dsireusa.org to see what
programs are available
MODEL FOR TAKING SCHOOLS SOLAR
• Third-party Ownership
• Third-party-financed PV installations are owned and operated by
another entity, usually a solar developer or its investors
• Can go solar with $0 upfront
• Allows schools to take advantage of tax credits on systems
• Less risk for schools, since do not own the panels
• Operations and maintenance included in PPA agreement
EXAMPLES OF THIRD-PARTY OWNERSHIP
MODELS
• Community-Owned Power Purchase Agreements
• Similar to traditional PPAs
• Members of the community create a third-party entity to own the
system on behalf of the school in order to take advantage of tax
incentives
• Third-party entity (made up of community members) owns and
operates the solar system
• Members of the community can support a solar project
financially while still earning a modest return on their
investment.
EXAMPLES OF THIRD-PARTY OWNERSHIP
MODELS
• Sidwell Friends School in
Washington, D.C. installed
120 solar panels on gym
• Funded $200,000 cost of
the project by inviting
community members to
purchase solar bonds in
increments of $5,000
• Bonds earn a modest rate
of return for about 10 years
EXAMPLES OF THIRD-PARTY OWNERSHIP
MODELS
• Morris Model
• Hybrid approach that allows a private solar developer to become
the owner of the project
• State or local government provides the solar developer with lowcost project capital by issuing debt (such as bonds).
CONCLUSION
• Nationwide movement for schools to go solar
• Wide variety of approaches
• See huge enthusiasm for projects among community
members, administrators, students, and teachers
QUESTIONS?
Emily Stiever
Program Director
Community Power Network
emily@communitypowernetwork.com
http://www.communitypowernetwork.com