Schools | Grow Solar

Getting Started

Are you ready to take a step towards a sustainable future? Click on the buttons below to explore our comprehensive Steps to Solar guide, where you’ll find everything you need to know about the process of going solar. Or, if you’re curious about the benefits and considerations as a consumer, dive into our Consumer Guide. The consumer guide has information about choosing an installer, consumer protection, and financing.

The Solar Project Builder is an easy-to-use online tool for universities, hospitals, municipalities, and businesses to simulate long-term financial forecasting for four types of solar photovoltaic (PV) investment. Using their own values, users can simulate and compare financial projections for direct ownership, power purchase agreement (PPA), debt financing, and operating lease. The tool can be used to guide or validate potential projects, compare proposals, or simply help users become more familiar with financing structures and common transaction costs.

Choosing an Installer Consumer Guide Solar Basics and Glossary Solar Project Builder Steps to Solar

Incentives

Federal Incentives

The inflation reduction act has made the federal tax credit available to institutions that do not carry a tax burden. This is done through either Direct Pay, or though a Transfer of Credit.

Direct pay is available to most tax exempt organizations, such as local governments, school districts, tribal governments, 501(c)(3) organizations, 501 (d) organizations, and other organizations under 501(a).

Direct pay allows for tax exempt organizations to get a payment equal to the full value of the tax credit they would have otherwise received for installing solar, which is 30% of the full installation and purchase cost.

Transfer of Credit allows for credits to be sold to other entities. However, this method is much more complicated than the direct pay option. If you are interested in transfer of credit, talk to your tax professional.

For further resources, click the button below.

Federal Incentive Resources

State Incentives

While the federal tax credit for purchasing solar applies to all property owners in the U.S., state incentives vary greatly. Click your state below to find more information about incentives where you live.

Illinois Iowa Minnesota Michigan Missouri Wisconsin

Net Metering

What is Net Metering?

People often connect the concept of solar to the concept of going off-grid and using battery backups. However, the most common residential solar systems are grid-tied.

In the grid-tied design, your solar system provides power to your home and any excess electricity generated beyond your energy use is delivered back to the utility grid. If your solar PV system is not producing enough energy to meet your needs, (e.g, at night when there is no sun), then you use electricity from you utility.

Grid-tied is the least expensive type of system design. It also allows for net metering – which is how you make money from your utility when they buy back your extra energy from your solar array, which appears as a credit on your electric bill.

In essence, net metering is your electric meter spinning in reverse.

Some months, your solar array will generate more energy than you use and other months you will be using the grid plus your solar array for energy consumption.

Net metering still works to save you money over the course of the year as your credit for excess production rolls over to future months.

Net metering policy can vary by region.

Watch this short video from Energysage to learn more.

Owning Solar: FAQs

Storage

Solar Panel Maintenance

Sizing

Schools

Solar on Schools

The Midwest Renewable Energy Association, in partnership with the Couillard Solar Foundation, offers Solar On Schools to Wisconsin schools. Solar on Schools was developed to provide a range of resources to Wisconsin schools, assisting with and simplifying the solar project development process. The program aims to help Wisconsin schools realize the financial, educational, and community benefits of going solar.

To learn more, click the button below, or continue on to explore various Solar on Schools’ presentations and educational content.

Solar on Schools

Wisconsin Association of School Boards State Education Convention

Each year, the Wisconsin Association of School Boards hosts the Solar on Schools Solar Pavilion as an Educational Exhibit in Milwaukee, WI. The Solar on Schools Pavilion exhibit hosts education non-profit exhibitors and presentations on solar and renewable energy education curriculum, training and resources.

You can watch these presentations using the buttons below.

Solar Energy at Northland Pines School District: Empowering Students While Saving Money

This presentation describes:

How on-site solar PV (photovoltaic) system options can enable schools to achieve cost savings and even achieve Zero Energy (net basis), or close to it.
How solar is educationally and financially beneficial.
And, how solar has been successfully implemented at Northland Pines School District.

Leading the Charge: Creating a Solar Roadmap for Your School Solar Toolkit and 10-Step Guide to Create a Solar Roadmap for Schools

Presented by Dr. Ken Walz, this presentation describes:

The benefits of solar for technical schools for training in hands-on renewable energy education.
The resources available on the CREATE website, including the 10-step Guide to Create a Solar Roadmap.

Village of Mount Horeb Solar 101 Community Event, Childrens’ Community School

Childrens’ Community School is a 2023 Solar on Schools grantee – net-zero school promoting community solar by hosting event in celebration of solar. Presentations recorded here include:

CSF
Solar on Schools
Glow Solar, a local installer explaining residential solar
Sol Start and local utility permitting

Village of Mount Horeb Solar 101 Community Event

Benefits of Solar on Schools

Solar Storage

Solar storage, offers an alternative to net metering. While net metering allows you to sell excess solar energy back to the grid, solar storage allows you to store that excess energy for later use. This means you can harness the power of the sun even when it’s not shining, giving you greater control and independence over your energy consumption.

Solar storage can come with a larger price tag compared to net metering. With solar storage, you can maximize your energy savings by avoiding peak electricity rates and reducing your reliance on the grid. Plus, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that you have a reliable and sustainable source of energy, even during power outages.