Schooling Up on Solar

Energy costs are the second-largest expense for US schools after personnel.

Clean energy upgrades for public infrastructure will reduce budget burdens for state and local governments by providing a long-term, low-cost solution to high utility costs. Every dollar saved can be put toward school resources, parks, and local infrastructure.

According to Brighter Future: A Study on Solar in US Schools, energy costs are the second-largest expense for US schools after personnel. The report, authored by Generation 180, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), and The Solar Foundation found that investing in solar can significantly alleviate the budget woes of US schools in the long-term, since solar energy saves customers more money over time.

In 2019, only 5.5% of all K-12 public and private schools in the US use solar power, and that’s after an 81% increase over the last five years. Tucson Unified School District in Arizona recently installed solar, according to the report, and they expect to save $43 million over the next 20 years. In Arkansas, the Batesville School District used their energy savings to raise teacher salaries to the highest level in the county, helping to attract and retain talent on their district staff.

Even more schools could make the switch to solar with state and federal support, and the infrastructure and budget packages are an opportunity to do just that. Some states, like Pennsylvania, are even setting new goals to power their municipal operations with solar, paving the way for smaller municipalities to set similar goals.

Sign SEIA’s company letter to Congress and learn more about SEIA’s top policy priorities.