Secure Futures installed 2.87 megawatts of solar panels on ten campuses of public schools in Richmond, VA. This is equivalent to the amount of CO2 emitted by 496 homes’ electricity use for one year. Installation of the solar arrays was completed by the end of 2019.
Through a power purchase agreement with Secure Futures, the school division received on-campus solar power with no capital cost. Secure Futures sells 100% of the solar power produced to the school division at a rate lower than what they are currently paying to their electric utility, Dominion.
This will save Richmond Public Schools approximately $2 million in energy costs over the next 20 years. The company will help the schools integrate the solar panels into classroom work through teacher training and SOL-compliant curricula from the National Energy Education Development (NEED) project.
In connection with the solar installation, through a grant from the RVA Solar Fund, a component fund of the Community Foundation for a greater Richmond, Richmond Public Schools will receive a grant for $100,000 to support a new Sustainability Associate position and to purchase energy monitoring systems at selected school sites.
