Schools on Solar
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Contribution Amounts: Any contribution amount
Who can contribute: Anyone can make a one-time contribution to Schools On Solar, but only City of Tallahassee Utilities customers can set up a monthly contribution on their utility bill.
How to Get Started: Call 891.4YOU (4968) or download and complete the form and mail to:
Lee Jones - City of Tallahassee Utilities
300 S. Adams St. #B-32
Tallahassee, FL 32301
Additional Information
The Schools on Solar program is a partnership between Your Own Utilities and the Leon County School District to install solar PV and thermal systems at local schools. These systems are equipped with a data acquisition system that displays their performance and other valuable solar data on a web portal that can be used by students or the general public. Do you have a question?
The City of Tallahassee paid for the initial installations and future systems will be funded by contributions from City of Tallahassee utility customers who choose to make a one time or monthly contribution, of any amount, to be billed on their utility bill. Funds collected for this program will be used to purchase class room materials, provide teacher training on solar and renewable energy and build additional systems.
The main focus of Schools on Solar is education. Schools on Solar will provide students information on energy conservation and renewable energy. Developing an early understanding of how energy is produced and used provides the foundation they'll need to become our future leaders and to help solve the bigger energy and environmental problems we face as a nation and a community.
The following schools have benefited from Schools on Solar:
Each school has been equipped with four main components. They are:
- A Solar Curriculum for teachers to explain renewable energy and its benefits to our future (classroom materials included).
- A Solar Thermal System for producing hot water.
- A Solar Photovoltaic System for producing electricity.
- A Data Acquisition System for recording and displaying the information of both systems above on a web site where the students and community will be able to view at any given moment.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Schools on Solar Program
- What is the Schools on Solar Program?
Schools on Solar is a partnership between Your Own Utilities and Leon County Schools to install solar PV and thermal systems on local school campuses. These systems are equipped with a data acquisition system that displays their performance and other valuable solar data on a web portal, that can be used by students or the general public. The systems will be funded by contributions from City of Tallahassee utility customers who choose to make a one time or monthly contribution, to be billed on their utility bill. Funds collected for this program will be used to build additional systems, purchase classroom materials and provide teacher training on solar and renewable energy. No collected funds are used for marketing the program.
- How do I contribute?
Call Your Own Utilities at 891.4YOU (4968). You can make either a one-time contribution or a monthly amount. Either type of contribution will appear on your monthly utility bill.
- Are my contributions tax deductible?
No, your contributions are not tax deductible.
- What happens to the money that is collected?
All monies collected for Schools on Solar are held in a special account from which expenditures can only be made to expand the program. It will be spent to buy classroom materials to enhance the educational opportunities, provide training for the classroom teachers and build new systems at other schools. It will not be used to pay staff salaries or market the program. - How were the first two schools for the program selected?
Leon County Schools selected the sites for the first elementary and middle schools to receive the solar systems, Oak Ridge Elementary and the new Montford Middle School.
- How much energy is saved by these systems?
Each school will see $800.00 worth of energy savings yearly between the solar thermal and solar PV systems.
- How are new schools selected for the program?
Leon County Schools is responsible for assigning the next school for the Schools on Solar Program. All schools have access to the educational component of the systems via the web service. We anticipate using the initial funds generated through this program to purchase class room materials for the schools before we build the next system. Schools served by Talquin Electric are not eligible for funding under this program.
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