Powering a Brighter Future in Pennsylvania (Third Edition, 2025)
The 2025 edition of this report reveals a powerful trend: the amount of solar energy installed by K-12 schools across Pennsylvania has more than tripled in the past decade. Find a list of schools that received solar grants totaling $22.6 million from the new Solar for Schools Grant Program, which has the potential to double the amount of solar power being generated by statewide K-12 schools. Discover the Top 10 School Districts in the state that are leading the way. Read the report to learn about trends in solar adoption and how K-12 schools are funding the switch to solar.
Key Findings
The State of Solar at Pennsylvania's K-12 Schools
During the past decade, the amount of solar installed at Pennsylvania schools more than tripled.
Growth in Cumulative Solar Capacity at Pennsylvania K-12 Schools
Mapping Solar Adoption at Schools in Pennsylvania
State Trends in Solar Adoption
Before the start of this decade, solar adoption by Pennsylvania K-12 schools was concentrated in the eastern half of the state, particularly in the urban and suburban communities in the southeastern region. Over the past five years, solar adoption by K-12 schools has expanded westward, with significant growth in the towns and rural communities of central Pennsylvania.
Geographic Distribution of Pennsylvania K-12 School Solar Installations by Locale Type
School Success Stories
Huntingdon Area School District is first to leverage the energy tax credit
Huntingdon Area School District (HASD) is the first school district in Pennsylvania to complete a solar project that is eligible for the Clean Electricity Investment Credit using Elective Pay. HASD expects to receive an estimated tax credit payment over $1 million and recoup 37% of the project cost for two solar arrays.
Moniteau School District innovates to cut utility bills and reliance on grid
Moniteau School District is blazing a trail to clean energy as the first public school district in western Pennsylvania to offset most of its electricity consumption with solar power.
