The completion of the first phase of work has enabled energy cost savings and generated funding for roof replacements at multiple schools; the partners will soon kick off rooftop solar projects at four area middle schools and one elementary school.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. and CHATHAM, Va., Sept. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Pittsylvania County Schools and mid-Atlantic clean energy company Sun Tribe today announced the next phase of their partnership in bringing solar power to the division's schools and improving school facilities by generating funding for roof replacements.
The two partners have now completed the first phase of their work, adding rooftop solar on four of the division's high schools, and have now begun the next phase of their work together, in which five additional schools will deploy solar. The full, three-phase deal initially agreed upon by Pittsylvania County Schools and Sun Tribe was one of the largest power purchase agreements (PPAs) in Virginia history.
"Pittsylvania County Schools is pleased to have the opportunity to partner with Sun Tribe. The placement of solar panels on our schools will enable our division to lessen its electricity consumption by generating 'green' energy on-site. The partnership is also allowing the division to undertake capital improvement projects to improve or replace roofs for the schools involved," said Dr. Mark R. Jones, Division Superintendent of Pittsylvania County Schools.
Sun Tribe has predicted that the solar arrays deployed through the first two phases of their collaboration will result in:
- 139.5 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity generated over the next 25 years
- $6 million of total potential energy savings
- $2 million of funding generated for rooftop replacements
- More than 109,000 tons of avoided carbon emissions — equal to removing 21,000 gas-powered cars from the road for a year
With each phase of work in the multi-year project, roof funding generated increases as more solar is deployed. Thanks to this unique model and Pittsylvania County Schools' strong fiduciary leadership, the division is preserving other critical funds and avoiding debt financing to improve aging infrastructure.
In addition to enabling capital improvements, the addition of rooftop solar to Pittsylvania County's schools is contributing to continued savings on electricity costs and more sustainable schools. Through the partnership, the division is also bringing specialized educational opportunities to students who can now learn about solar energy in the classroom and access real solar data from their own schools.
The school system's partnership with Sun Tribe reflects the commitment of the Pittsylvania County School Board and of the school division to exploring environmentally responsible means of supporting division operations and funding capital improvements.
"Pittsylvania County Schools is a thoughtful, long-term customer who is earnestly doing the work necessary to take care of their students and community," said Sun Tribe's CEO, Devin Welch. "The decisions they are making are hugely helpful for the division today and will continue to be beneficial far into the future. We are incredibly grateful for their partnership."
Four high schools were completed in the first phase of work, all of which now have fully operational rooftop solar arrays. The four schools include Chatham High School, Dan River High School, Gretna High School, and Tunstall High School. The installation of solar arrays was conducted with minimal disruption, and the placement of the panels themselves renders them virtually unnoticeable from the exterior of the buildings.
Development is actively underway to add rooftop solar to five more schools: Chatham Middle School, Dan River Middle School, Gretna Middle School, Tunstall Middle School, and Twin Springs Elementary School.
Sun Tribe partnered with Madison Energy Investments (MEI) to finance, own, and operate all solar systems involved in the project. With more than 400 megawatts (MW) of distributed energy assets in their portfolio, MEI is trusted to ensure that all solar systems will continue to function optimally for decades.
For more information on Sun Tribe's work with K-12 schools, visit suntribesolar.com/k-12-schools/.
About Pittsylvania County Schools
Pittsylvania County Schools' attendance zone extends across the county's 969 square miles making it the largest of the Commonwealth's school divisions geographically. The school system serves approximately 8,000 students in grades pre-K through 12 who attend ten elementary, four middle, four high, and three specialized schools, all of which are fully accredited. Pittsylvania County Schools' partnership with Sun Tribe Solar, along with its implementation of electric school bus technology, represents the division's commitment to exploring economically-feasible, environmentally-friendly measures to manage the school system's energy consumption.
About Sun Tribe
Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia, Sun Tribe has grown into one of the largest clean energy companies in the Mid-Atlantic region. Sun Tribe delivers legacy-grade projects that translate into long-term value for partners. Diligent upfront de-risking, best-in-class development and engineering, and forging ongoing relationships built on trust define the Sun Tribe approach. With a team of more than 80 renewable energy experts, Sun Tribe has completed more than 100 clean energy projects to date. The team has previously developed and built solar facilities in 20 states for leading partners including Dominion Energy, Duke Energy, Exelon, Pacific Power, PSEG, the United States Air Force, and the United States Navy. To learn more visit www.suntribesolar.com.
Media Contact
Nikki Arnone, Inflection Point Agency for Sun Tribe, 1 7708567185, [email protected], https://suntribesolar.com/
SOURCE Sun Tribe
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