139%solar capacity 81%schools embargoed_key... · solar at public schools is typically made at the...

Nationwide Growth of Solar at Schools

Eager to reap the many benefits of going solar — from energy savings to hands-on educational opportunities — installed solar on schools has increased 139% at U.S. schools since 2014, when the first edition of this report was published. SEE FIGURE 1.

Nationwide, the number of schools with solar grew by 81%, up from 4,061 schools in 2014. (SEE FIGURE 2). Today, 5.3 million students1 attend 7,332 solar schools in this country, nearly doubling the number of students with access to solar since the first edition of this report. Solar schools now make up 5.5% of all public and private K-12 schools,2 almost doubling from 3% of U.S. schools in 2014.3 The decision to go solar at public schools is typically made at the district level, and 16% of K-12 school districts (2,231 in total) have embraced this technology.

With 1,365 MW of cumulative installed capacity, solar schools are now generating enough energy to power 254,030 U.S. homes.4 For the past five years, schools have accounted for 8%-10% of the cumulative installed solar capacity of nonresidential projects, which includes government, nonprofit and commercial customers.5 The rate of growth for schools aligns with the rise of solar in the nonresidential sector.

Key Findings

2014

2016

2018

2015

2017

2019

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

201920182017201620152014

4061 4546 5112 5972 6721 7332

8000

6000

4000

2000

0

4,0614,546

5,112

5,972

6,721

Num

ber

of S

olar

Sch

ools

FIGURE 2Growth in Number of Solar Schools

7,332

5-YEAR GROWTH in Number of Schools81%

0

350

700

1050

1400

201920182017201620152014

560 664 798 983 1187 1365

1400

1050

700

350

0

2014

2016

2018

2015

2017

2019

560664

798

983

1,160

1,337

FIGURE 1Growth in Installed Solar Capacity at Schools

Inst

alle

d S

olar

Cap

acit

y (M

W)

5-YEAR GROWTH in Cumulative Installed Solar Capacity139%

Solar schools are now generating enough energy to power 254,030 U.S. homes.

EMBARGOED UNTIL SEPTEMBER 15, 2020 AT 12:01 A.M. ET


01GENERATION180 BRIGHTER FUTURE THIRD EDITION

H E A D O F TH E CL AS STO P TE N STATES FO R S O L A R S C H O O LS

CANJAZMAINNYCTVANVIL

616,058181,944125,18771,14841,07635,90732,17120,21420,15919,997

INSTALLED SOLAR CAPACITY (kW)

CANJILAZMAFLNYCTMDNV

2,430621455400292280260205184176

NUMBER OF SCHOOLS WITH SOLAR

CANJFLILAZMANYMDCTTX

2,033,413407,751302,699271,990270,233192,706185,476132,957126,414116,191

NUMBER OF STUDENTS ATTENDING A SOLAR SCHOOL

01020304050607080910

RANK

National Statistics for Solar SchoolsCUMULATIVE THROUGH 2019

7,332 PERCENTAGE OF ALL K-12 SCHOOLS WITH SOLAR5.5%NUMBER OF

SOLAR SCHOOLS

5,346,186NUMBER OF

STUDENTS ATTENDING A SOLAR SCHOOL

1,337MWINSTALLED

SOLAR CAPACITY

182kWAVERAGE

SYSTEM SIZE PER SCHOOL

9.4%PERCENTAGE OF

STUDENTS ATTENDING A SOLAR SCHOOL

2,231NUMBER OF

SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH SOLAR

16%PERCENTAGE OF

ALL K-12 SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH SOLAR

KEY FINDINGS

CUMULATIVE THROUGH 2019





0–0.5 MW

State Report Card for Solar Schools

MOST IMPROVEDThree fastest growing states for installed capacity*

• Indiana• Virginia• Illinois

RICT

DEMDD.C.

NJ

VALEDICTORIANCalifornia is home to one-third of the nation’s solar schools and 45% of the installed capacity

>20 MW 5–19.99 MW2–4.99 MW0.5–1.99 MW

TOTAL SOLAR CAPACITY IN K-12 SCHOOLS BY STATE:

KEY FINDINGS

NEEDS TUTORINGBottom 8 states with 5 or less solar schools

• Nebraska • Wyoming • Alaska • Alabama

• Mississippi • North Dakota • Oklahoma • South Dakota**The only state with

ZERO solar schools

DEAN’S LISTTop 3 states for % of schools with solar

• Hawaii 29%• District of Columbia 23%• Nevada 20%

*Moved up from Bottom Half in 2014 to Top 10 in 2019



APPENDIX B: STATE RANKINGS FOR SOLAR SCHOOLS

RANK

010203040506070809101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051

CANJAZMAINNYCTVANVILMNMDPAOHHIDCCOTXNMTNORNHWIFLVTMIWASCMOGANCIAARKYDEUTMEWVIDMTLARIKSWYMSNDNEALAKOKSD

616,058181,944125,18771,14841,07635,90732,17120,21420,15919,99718,64916,96315,33014,06911,98010,2809,1987,2047,0496,6425,7365,2554,8274,6504,3173,6173,5402,7832,7332,6592,6571,8631,8001,7851,6571,6491,4368535154863903643122301008019181320

2,4306214554002922802602051841761571481231191171091099189887564636360585749444444433832282415121211118754321110

CANJFLILAZMANYMDCTTXNVMNHICOWIWAUTVAINMOORPANCGATNMIOHNMSCDCMTNHRIIDVTMEWVKSKYDELAARIANEWYALOKAKNDMSSD

2,033,413407,751302,699271,990270,233192,706185,476132,957126,414116,19198,60793,97184,59683,73882,50380,22679,52264,37359,63955,79551,03450,10344,40643,31435,38735,38232,16330,34428,83928,10618,60516,69914,59014,58413,95613,4979,0468,1097,4246,7585,8494,9333,8892,9231,5516315214271691470

CANJILAZMAFLNYCTMDNVMNWITXCOHIWAUTMOVAINORDCOHTNPAMINCNMVTGAMTSCNHMEIDRIIAKYDEWVKSLAARNEWYAKALMSNDOKSD

INSTALLED SOLAR CAPACITY (kW)

NUMBER OF SCHOOLS WITH SOLAR

NUMBER OF STUDENTS ATTENDING A SOLAR SCHOOL

TOTAL kW TOTAL TOTALSTATE STATESTATE

CUMULATIVE THROUGH 2019EMBARGOED UNTIL SEPTEMBER 15, 2020 AT 12:01 A.M. ET




139%solar capacity 81%schools embargoed_key... · solar at public schools is typically made at the...

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