Roanoke City Public Schools invests in students and saves big with solar

On a beautiful, sunny, clear Earth Day, leaders adorned with green ribbons from the Roanoke City Public Schools were taking in the view — not the view of McAfee Knob and Tinker Mountain looming in the distance, but of roughly 300 shiny new solar panels mounted atop the William B. Robertson Administration Building in downtown Roanoke. 

The leaders were there to announce one of the largest solar energy initiatives in public schools in Virginia. 

“Today marks a significant step forward for our community. Through a partnership with Secure Solar Futures, we are proud to announce a projected $46.5 million of savings over the next 35 years,” says Jeff Shawver, senior director of physical plants for the school system.

This solar project across 17 buildings in the school system will include the restoration of over 2 million square feet of roof space with highly efficient reflective covering and the installation of bifacial solar panels — all at no upfront cost to the school system. The solar installed on city school buildings will total 7.3 megawatts, which is enough to power approximately 1,200 homes each year and the carbon dioxide equivalent of removing 1,500 cars per year. The initial 1.6 megawatt installation was completed in 2024, with the remainder expected to be installed by the end of 2025. 

“This project reflects our commitment to long-term thinking, to being good stewards to both our financial resources and the environment,” School Board Member Mike Cherry says. “We are making a smart investment that will pay off for decades, reducing our energy expenses and creating more sustainable and resilient school buildings.”

The project is made possible through a power purchase agreement, where B Corp solar developer Secure Solar Futures owns the system and takes advantage of the federal investment tax credit and the tax benefits of accelerated depreciation. The company is able to sell the energy generated to Roanoke at a lower rate than Appalachian Power Company, with no upfront cost for the school district. 

Tony Smith of Secure Solar Futures joked that due to Appalachian Power’s increasing rates, “the savings were even more pronounced.” 

The highly efficient reflective roof membranes are also eligible for tax credits, so Secure Solar Futures will be able to pass along the roof restoration savings to the school system with no upfront costs. This will save the school system $13.5 million in roof replacement costs

The project across the school system not only saves taxpayers money, but also brings meaningful learning opportunities to students through workforce training, interactive dashboards in classrooms and hands-on learning activities. 

“This is more than just about cost savings,” says Cherry. “I want to make sure we understand that. This is about preparing our students, our children for the future. So if solar panels are installed on their schools and integrated into their lessons, our students are seeing science, technology and innovation come to life in real time.” 

Since 2022, Secure Solar Futures has worked to create workforce development opportunities in schools. 

“Twenty students will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience this year and receive OSHA training, be employed by solar companies, supervised by electricians and will learn the whole trade of installing solar, including electrical work, and have a very strong resume,” says Smith.

But a projected $46.5 million in savings and meaningful hands-on career training and classroom learning opportunities for students wasn’t enough for this Earth Day celebration. Smith also presented the school system with a $150,000 grant from the Coalfield Solar Fund that will be used to help facilitate the learning opportunities. The Coalfield Solar Fund is a grantmaking entity affiliated with Secure Solar Futures, the technology company Intuit and the nonprofit organization National Energy Education Development. 

“This funding will make a meaningful impact in directly supporting our students in learning about sustainability and in providing hands-on learning experiences,” says RCPS Superintendent Verletta White.

“By investing in clean energy and improving our facilities, we are not only protecting our environment, but we are also creating new opportunities for hands-on learning and long-term savings. This is what I’d like to call a win-win-win!”