Solar schools-experiences with different utilities

Schools are increasingly becoming popular venues for introducing solar energy to communities. Programs throughout the country have been sponsored by utilities, public agencies, private and nonprofit organizations. Each program is structured slightly differently with variations in system size, visibility and data monitoring capabilities. This paper highlights two solar schools programs, a utility-sponsored program and a state-sponsored program, and discusses the differences in implementation in both programmatic and technical aspects. Both programs involved grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems, which have been equally effective in energy generation and educating the public. Solar schools programs can be structured in several different ways depending on the goals of the sponsoring organizations, concerns of the school and program budget. Results from each program show that the energy produced has proven to schools and surrounding communities the effectiveness and reliability of PV.