Roanoke City Schools

With 17 Locations, One of the Largest K-12 Solar Projects in Virginia

Secure Solar Futures is currently completing a solar project at Roanoke City Schools in Virginia that will save the schools $46.5 million over 35 years, while providing schools with restored roofs under 25-year warranties, both at no upfront capital cost to RCPS through a Power Purchase Agreement.

With 7.3 megawatts of solar capacity across 17 locations, the project will be one of the largest at a K-12 school division in the state and is being completed in two phases:

1. A first round of 1.6 MW of solar at six locations was completed in December, 2024.
2. A second round of 5.7 MW of solar at eleven additional locations will be completed by the end of 2025.

Along with developing solar power systems, Secure Solar Futures will also provide roof restoration at seven locations at no capital cost to the schools as part of its Solar PPA-R³™ offering. RCPS will avoid more than $14 million in roof replacement costs over the next 35 years, as well as avoided landfill costs of roof replacement. 

Secure Solar Futures will install 9,766 bifacial (two-sided) solar panels, which generate power on both sides—directly from sunlight on top and reflected light from the roof below—increasing efficiency by 6% or more compared to traditional panels. 

Beyond solar installation, Secure Solar Futures will provide workforce development programs to train high school students as solar power technicians, as well as educational resources, including standards-based curricula and teacher training for all grade levels and the Throwing Solar Shade® project-based learning program, offering high school students hands-on research experience in citizen science.

Strong project economics were improved by a $150,000 incentive grant from the Coalfield Solar Fund.