School Districts Get Much Needed Budget Relief From Solar

The Oak Grove School District in San Jose, Calif., is not just bringing renewable energy into the curriculum – they’re using it to power their classrooms. In partnership with Chevron Energy Solutions, the district celebrated the completion of a 1.8 megawatt solar photovoltaic system that will save more than $13 million in energy costs over the project’s lifetime.

The solar panel installation will generate up to 90 percent of energy needs for four schools and the district office, offsetting 1,377 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions – the equivalent of planting over 220 football fields worth of pine forests.
With school budgets tight, the district says that the utility savings give it much needed relief.
Oak Grove has looked towards innovation as a way to maximize every taxpayer dollar. The savings being generated can now be reinvested into our classrooms where it belongs.”