A Virginia school district pioneers solar and battery microgrids
As climate change intensifies, communities around the country are looking for ways to better prepare for extreme weather, from ice storms to heat waves. In Roanoke, Virginia, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, that starts with the schools.
For years, the Roanoke City Public Schools district has been installing solar panels to lower electricity bills, minimize its carbon footprint, and teach students about clean tech. Now, the district is set to be the first in the state to invest in storage, with a solar-and-battery-powered microgrid at each of its two high schools, which double as official disaster shelters.
“They’ll run on the battery until such time as it’s discharged,” said Jeff Shawver, senior director of school plants for Roanoke City Public Schools. “Then the diesel generators are cut on. Then, the next day, the sun comes up, and you start charging the battery again. It just keeps the cycle going.”
Due to be installed by the end of the year, the storage systems will be among just a handful of batteries at school buildings around the country, according to Generation180, a national nonprofit headquartered up the interstate in Charlottesville. The dearth of sustainable microgrids at schools is problematic in the wake of natural disaster, since they account for 60% of all FEMA-designated relief shelters in Virginia and half of those nationwide.
“Schools are also the hubs where citizens vote, where groups gather, and now increasingly where neighbors need to huddle or seek shelter during emergencies,” said Tish Tablan, senior program director at the nonprofit and a former teacher. “So they’re just critical parts of our communities.”
The microgrid is funded partially by a grant from the state’s Department of Emergency Management and a donation from commercial solar installer Secure Solar Futures. “The grant has been around for a few years,” Tablan said. “They are the first to utilize it for a solar microgrid instead of diesel.”
The school district’s foray into batteries fits with its track record on solar. Serving some 14,000 students, the district leads the state on solar energy installations among schools, with nearly 9.4 megawatts planned for or already atop 29 rooftops and other sites.
The solar arrays are poised to cover 44% of the schools’ energy needs, cutting the school system’s electric bills by more than $22 million over 35 years. Because many installations come with new roofs, they’ll also help the district avoid $24 million in capital costs.
“We’re going to end up with most of our schools with at least a 25-year warranty on the roofs,” Shawver said. “For any facility manager, trust me: That’s a happy day for that person.”