Coalfield Solar Fund Invests in PV Arrays for Coal Region School Districts in Virginia & West Virginia
School districts in historic coal-heavy regions of Virginia and West Virginia are now tapping into new solar power installations built on-site.
Lee County Schools in Virginia has 451 kW of solar generating electricity capacity, while Calhoun County Schools in West Virginia is now home to a 600-kW photovoltaic system. The Coalfield Solar Fund, an initiative comprising several renewable energy development partners, completed the projects at both districts.
"For more than a century, coalfield communities in Virginia and West Virginia produced energy to power the American economy,” Anthony Smith, CEO and Founder of Secure Solar Futures, one of the Coalfield Solar Fund’s primary partners, said in a statement. “Today, the Coalfield Solar Fund is bringing innovation and jobs to help these same communities power the 21st century economy starting with solar power on schools and workforce development for students.”
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Got Electric of Ijamsville, Maryland, the construction partner of Secure Solar Futures, installed solar panels manufactured by Jinko Solar at both school systems.
Each school system received a $75,000 grant from the Coalfield Solar Fund as an incentive to receive solar energy systems and begin a workforce development program to prepare their students for careers in clean energy. Lee County Schools received solar systems at two locations, while Dryden Elementary School in Dryden was installed with 544 solar panels in a solar array with a generating capacity of 253 kW, Thomas Walker High School in Ewing comprised of 426 solar panels for a 198-kW solar system.
Together, the solar arrays will cover about 36% of the schools’ electricity use and could help the districts save $4.1 million in energy costs over 35 years, according to the release.
Both school systems received solar power with no upfront capital investment through a 25-year PPA with Secure Solar Futures. During the term of the agreement, the company will own and operate all solar equipment and sell the solar energy to the schools at a cost lower than the cost of grid power offered by the local electric utility.
A local high school student intern helped install solar power equipment at Calhoun County Schools as part of a workforce development program.
Both Lee and Calhoun counties have long-time historical and physical ties to coal mining. Southwest Virginia was known for mining high-grade coking coal to fuel the steelmaking industry. Calhoun County’s coal mining was less prolific or economical because the deposits are deeper in the underground.
