Philadelphia school district receives $1.2M in Solar Grants

June 3, 2025
Philadelphia Tribune

By Kiara Santos

The School District of Philadelphia has been awarded $1.2 million from the first Solar for PA Schools Grant Program to install solar energy at four schools: Andrew Hamilton School, Murrell Dobbins Career & Technical Education High School, Northeast Community Propel Academy, and W. B. Saul High School.

A total of 74 schools are sharing in $22.6 million from the state’s Solar for PA Schools Grant Program. In Philadelphia, the funding will cover up to 50% of construction costs for solar energy projects, and clean energy rebates and incentives will further discount project installation costs, with District funds covering the remainder.

The Solar for PA Schools Grants provide critical funding to reduce upfront costs for installing solar energy. The installations will lower long-term operational costs and build upon the district’s commitment to model environmental stewardship for its students and community, a key objective of the district’s nationally recognized Green Futures sustainability program.

The schools were selected based on geographic diversity and sites that would be considered “solar-ready,” with a roof within the District’s typical 40-year warranty and sufficient electrical capacity.

“Solar energy is a win-win for the School District of Philadelphia. It provides the opportunity to lower costs and reduce our environmental footprint,” said Tony B. Watlington, Sr., superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia. “Every dollar our schools can save through lower electricity costs is a dollar we can invest to continue accelerating student achievement.”

The district estimates the solar energy installations will generate more than 50% of the schools’ electricity needs, saving millions of dollars over the lifetime of the equipment. With the grant, the projects will pay for themselves in less than eight years, according to technical feasibility assistance provided by the Philadelphia Energy Authority and Pennsylvania Solar Center.

Existing District solar energy installations include rooftop arrays at Albert M. Greenfield Elementary School, made possible by private donations, and at S. Solis- Cohen Elementary School.