HARRINGTON, Wash. – Harrington School District is one of sixteen rural schools across Eastern Washington turning sunlight into savings, thanks to a new project bringing solar power to rural communities.
“It’s pennies from the sun,” said David Funk, president of Zero Emissions Northwest.
Partners for Rural Washington and Zero Emissions Northwest have partnered to bring solar projects to 16 rural schools across Eastern Washington. The initiative is funded by one-time incentives from the Community Solar Expansion Program, which was authorized by the state Legislature and is administered through the Washington State University Energy Program.
Under the program, solar systems will be installed on or near school buildings at no cost to the districts. Utility companies Inland Power and Avista have also joined the effort, supporting the State Community Solar program.
The money saved in energy costs will be reinvested into the district by using those funds to help low-income populations for the first 10 years of the 30-year lifespan of the solar panel system.
“We look at our rural communities and see these schools as that beating heart and soul of these rural areas,” Funk said.
Harrington School District, with a student population of about 110, was the first of the 16 schools to have solar panels installed last week. The panels were placed on the roof of the locker room at the gymnasium, as well as on the welding shop and bus garage.
Kelli Tanke, office manager at Harrington School District, said Funk was working on their family farm when he pitched the idea to her last year, wondering if it could help the district.
“He has connections to our tiny little district, and was looking for ways to help stretch the dollar farther. So if we can save energy costs, his question to us was like, “What can you guys turn around and do with that money?” Tanke said. “Easily, you just think of the kids.”
It wasn’t long after working with Funk and the other nonprofits that they decided to come on board.
Tanke said they anticipate the project will save their district about $15,000 a year, totaling nearly $1 million over the next 30 years.
Staci Nelson, director of grant services for Partners for Rural Washington, said schools can use the savings for various needs, such as uniforms, transportation fees and summer camps focused on science, technology, engineering and maths.
“We’re hoping to remove barriers and open up opportunities for the schools themselves, teachers and administrators who identify needs and don’t have funding themselves or within the district,” Nelson said.
“It’s a super exciting low risk way for rural schools to be able to generate money and funding that goes right back into supporting schools and families,” she continued.
Although Courtney Strozyk, principal and superintendent of the school district, had just started her role in June of this year, she said that having grown up in the town, she saw both the support for and the need for a project like this.
“It’s just nice to be able to know there’s a few more resources that we can stretch those dollars in these tiny communities a little farther,” Strozyk said.
Funk said the next projects will be at Tekoa School District, located between Spokane and Pullman on the Palouse, and then Davenport School District. The remaining schools are still in the final review phase.
“When we have more signed contracts, we can announce all of this a little bit more,” Funk said
Funk said all the organizations involved are actively reaching out to rural schools to join the project, with the goal of helping “as many Eastern Washington communities as possible.”
“There’s so many people that want to do good, and work hard doing so, and it’s just a pleasure to get to work alongside many of those people,” Funk said.