SolarRewards for Schools

SolarRewards for Schools

Program Type: Statewide solar incentive program for K-12 schools and state colleges/universities

Geographic Scope: Xcel Energy service territory in Minnesota

Administrator: Xcel Energy

Eligibility:

K-12 public schools in Xcel Energy territory

State colleges and universities in Xcel Energy territory

Schools with at least 50% of students eligible for free/reduced-price lunch are "income-qualified"

Focus Areas:

Solar energy system installation on school buildings

Curriculum integration of solar projects as visible learning tools

Technical and financial assistance

Financial Assistance Structure:

Performance-based incentive: $0.04/kilowatt-hour of energy produced for 10 years (applies to all schools regardless of system size or financial need)

Up-front incentive:

- Non-income qualified schools: $0.10/watt
- Income-qualified schools: $0.70-$1.10/watt (depending on solar project size)

Budget allocation: 40% of overall program budget reserved for income-qualified schools

Overall Budget: $8 million for K-12 public schools; $1,242,000 for state colleges and universities

Program Start Date: January 2022

Requirements:

Schools must integrate solar project into curriculum

Solar system must serve as visible learning tool for students and teachers

Benefits:

Reduced energy bills for schools (saves taxpayer dollars)

Growth in local renewable energy deployment and associated jobs

Decreased emissions from polluting energy sources

Increased awareness and understanding of renewable energy in communities

Equity implications with dedicated funding for income-qualified schools

Contact: Xcel Energy program details available on their website