Staunton, VA, Dec. 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Secure Solar Futures, a provider of on-site clean energy to schools, hospitals, and businesses, has signed a 25-year Solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Roanoke City Public Schools (RCPS) to develop a 1.7-megawatt solar power system at seven locations. The agreement will provide the school division with on-site solar power at no upfront capital cost for the next three decades or more while offering opportunities for workforce development in renewable energy.
Secure Solar Futures will install a total of 3,667 solar panels manufactured by Trina Solar at seven locations: Fallon Park and Fishburn Park elementary schools; James Breckinridge, John P. Fishwick, Lucy Addison, and Woodrow Wilson middle schools; and the William B. Robertson Central Administration building. Construction will begin in early 2024 and is slated to be completed by the end of the year.
“Going solar helps Roanoke City Public Schools protect their budgets against volatility in utility costs that is likely in the future,” said Anthony Smith, President and Co-founder of Secure Solar Futures. “And hosting solar energy systems on site makes RCPS a leader in protecting the environment while offering students hands-on opportunities to learn about renewable energy and tap into the 21st century economy.”
All solar arrays will be installed at no upfront cost to RCPS through a 25-year power purchase agreement. After installation, Secure Solar Futures will own, operate, and maintain the solar equipment and sell the clean energy produced to the school division at a cost generally lower than the rate charged by the local electric utility for the term of the PPA.
In its first year, the solar system will produce 2,287,402 kilowatt hours of electric power, which will offset nearly 39% of the electricity demand of the seven locations combined. For comparison, first-year solar production will generate enough energy to power 315 average homes while avoiding the equivalent of 1,621 metric tons of carbon dioxide pollution, an amount that would be produced by burning 1,815,815 pounds of coal or using 182,406 gallons of gasoline.
At the conclusion of the PPA term, RCPS will take ownership of the solar power system at no additional cost, producing its own energy for the remainder of the equipment’s 35- to 40-year productive lifespan.
“Utilizing solar power, as set forth in our strategic plan, will allow RCPS to be better stewards of our environment,” stated Dr. Verletta White, Superintendent of Roanoke City Public Schools. “Additionally, we are very proud to have found a partner in Secure Solar Futures that values workforce development and will allow us to expose our students to the growing solar field so they can graduate with a diploma and skills in emerging technology.”
In addition to installing and operating solar energy systems, and at no extra cost to RCPS, Secure Solar Futures will help the school division establish and operate a workforce development program to train high school students as solar power technicians.
The company will also offer programs for students to learn about energy and solar power in the classroom, including standards-based curricula and teacher training for all grades plus Secure Solar Futures’ unique Throwing Solar Shade® program of citizen-science research for high school students.
About Roanoke City Schools
Roanoke City Public Schools (RCPS) is an urban school division in Roanoke, Virginia, serving a pre-K through 12th grade population of approximately 14,000 students. RCPS provides an inclusive and equitable, student-centered culture that empowers lifelong learning. Through meaningful, relevant, and engaging learning opportunities, we will empower all students to dream, excel, and meet their full potential to benefit our city and its citizens. The division has 17 elementary schools, five middle schools, two high schools, and five program locations, including the Roanoke Valley Governor’s School for Science & Technology and two Career & Technical Education centers. Visit www.rcps.info for additional information.
About Secure Solar Futures
As a market and policy leader, Secure Solar Futures builds, owns, manages, and funds affordable Resilient Solar Solutions® for schools, hospitals, and businesses. The company combines state-of–the-art solar technology with an innovative business model to make commercial-scale solar readily affordable in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, helping customers to realize the economic, environmental, and community benefits of solar energy. In 2017, Secure Solar Futures became a Certified B Corporation®. Find the company online at www.securesolarfutures.com.
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Roanoke City Public Schools Media Contacts:
Claire Mitzel, Coordinator, Communications & Public Relations
O: (540) 853-6164 C: (540) 355-9035 | [email protected]
Kelly Sandridge, Chief Communications & Community Engagement Officer
O: (540) 853-2905 C: (540) 819-0477 | [email protected]
Secure Solar Futures Media Contact:
Erik Curren, Director of Marketing
C: (540) 466-6128 | [email protected]
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