Jul 16, 2018
Augusta County Schools Go Solar in A Big Way
Over the last few years, schools at all levels, from K-12 through higher ed, have been some of the biggest adopters of on-site solar power in Virginia.
And during that time, Secure Futures has been honored to work with some of the most notable solar projects at schools and colleges in the state, especially on our home turf in the Shenandoah Valley.
For example, in 2010, Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg hired us to install what was the largest solar array in the whole state of Virginia at the time.
That’s right — At just over 100 kilowatts, the array was not only the largest at a college or university in the state, but was also the largest solar array at any place in Virginia, period.
Times have certainly changed since then. With much lower costs for solar panels these days, fortunately Virginia boasts bigger and bigger solar installations every year, sometimes reaching into the hundreds of megawatts each.
That explains how, in March of this year, Microsoft was able to sign the largest corporate solar power purchase agreement so far anywhere in the United States, ordering a whopping 315 megawatts of solar power from two solar arrays right here in Virginia.
Schools are Still Leading on Solar Power
Despite bigger and bigger solar arrays across the state from companies like Microsoft and others, especially in the technology sphere, schools in Virginia continue to lead on installing innovative solar projects on campus.
For example, recently Augusta County Public Schools announced that they’ve asked us to install what will be the largest on-site solar power system for an educational institution in the Shenandoah Valley.
The county is installing a total of 1.8 megawatts of solar over seven school facilities, enough solar to power nearly 300 average American homes.
Having solar panels on campus will help Augusta County’s schools integrate clean energy into their curricula. Solar will also help the schools save money, covering about 31% of the power used on all seven campuses. That should save the school division about $495,000 over the next 20 years, which can be invested in teacher salaries, school programs and classroom supplies.
Best of all, the schools will get solar panels on site with no upfront capital cost. Under a power purchase agreement, Secure Futures will install the panels on the school campuses but will continue to own and operate the solar systems, selling all the power to the schools.
Schools Want Solar on Campus. Fortunately, It’s Now Affordable.
Students, teachers and communities across the country and throughout Virginia have made it clear that they want schools to do more to go green, and especially to use clean energy on campus.
Indeed, in Augusta County, it was actually a couple of student government leaders at one of the local high schools who originally approached school administrators about going solar.
If more school divisions knew that they could go solar affordably, with no upfront capital cost at the beginning followed by nice money savings each month, we’re pretty sure they’d be interested. So, if you have friends who work at schools or kids enrolled in your local school system, spread the word — schools don’t have to sit on the sidelines anymore when it comes to solar.
Contact us to find out if your school, hospital, company or other location qualifies for on-site solar power.
Meanwhile, Augusta County is so excited about going solar at seven schools that they plan to add more solar at more campuses in the future. Learn more from some of the local news coverage of the schools’ solar announcement: WHSV TV-3, NBC TV-29, The Daily Progress, The Augusta Free Press and the Staunton News Leader.
— Nicole Duimstra, Secure Futures Solar
