Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Twenty North Carolina Schools Receive Solar Educational Package

  • By Matt Jones
  • 09/06/22

Nonprofit organization NC GreenPower recently announced the recipients of its 2022 Solar+ Schools grant program. The program provides K–12 schools across North Carolina with the funds to establish a 5-kW solar energy system on campus, according to a news release. In addition to a solar photovoltaic (PV) array, with an estimated value of $42,000, each school also receives a weather station, data monitoring, a STEM curriculum and teacher training materials. Twenty schools were selected to receive the grant this year and join 56 others awardees that have received the grant since the program’s inception in 2015.

A news release from Rockford Elementary School, one of this year’s winners, reports that the solar arrays at other schools generate an average of 8.026 kilowatt hours per year. The school’s estimated savings on electricity for the year could amount to about $800 per year. In total, the Solar+ Schools program has saved its winners about $68,400 in electricity costs since 2015.

“I am excited about the real-world, ands-on experiences that this grant will provide for the students at Rockford Elementary,” said former Rockford elementary Principal Dr. Matthew White. “I know that the incoming principal, Laura Whitaker, is looking forward to this, as well. I am also thankful for the continued partnerships with NC GreenPower, NC State Employees Credit Union, Surry-Yadkin Electric Membership Corporation and our Surry County Schools Educational Foundation for their support of Rockford Elementary.”

The NC GreenPower Board of Directors’ review committee met earlier this year to evaluate applications and determine this year’s winners. The twenty schools selected mark the highest number of winners in a single year in the program’s history. The press release also indicated that six more winning schools will be announced later this summer.

“Surry County Schools is beyond excited to work with NC GreenPower once again,” said Dr. Travis L. Reeves, district superintendent. “When Meadowview Magnet Middle School received this distinction in 2015, the district knew that installing solar technology on campus would prove to be a powerful educational tool for our students. Now, with the addition of Rockford Elementary School’s solar installation, Surry County Schools can continue to inspire the next generation of STEM leaders. In Surry County, our mission is to help students design their dreams and grow as leaders. Opportunities for students to have hands-on interactions with cutting-edge technology assists the district with this mission and will make a meaningful impact on the lives of students.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • UPenn Announces Completion of New Veterinary Education Facility

    The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Penn., recently finished construction on an 11,800-square-foot veterinary education building, according to a news release. The Gail P. Riepe Center for Advanced Veterinary Education is the first dedicated classroom facility at the New Bolton Center, a large-animal hospital and campus about 35 miles west of the campus proper.

  • Montclair State University Starts Construction on $120M STEM Building

    Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J., recently broke ground on a new $120-million Interdisciplinary Science Building, according to university news. The university partnered with HoK Architects for the project’s design, and it’s scheduled to open in time for the 2028–29 academic year.

  • Montclair State University Debuts New VR Facility

    Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J., recently announced the completion of a new virtual reality learning facility developed in partnership with Dreamscape Learn, according to a news release. The 2,450-square-foot lab space is inside the College of Communication and Media building and will serve students pursuing careers in digital media, virtual reality, and content creation.

  • Tomball ISD Opens New Tomball West High School

    Tomball Independent School District in Tomball, Texas, recently celebrated the official opening of Tomball West High School, the district's third comprehensive high school, with a community ribbon-cutting ceremony, according to a district news release.