The Texas Solar for Schools Program, developed in 2001 by the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO), has supplied many small-scale solar energy systems and complimentary educational tools to school districts across the state. The schools conserve energy while saving money on their electric bills, and the students learn first hand about renewable energy and energy conservation.

In 2005 and 2006, LCRA received funding from SECO to help bring the program to Texas’ rural communities where students had never seen a photovoltaic system or were unaware photovoltaic technology even existed. During the program’s two years, 20 of LCRA’s wholesale electric customers provided additional support for the program in their communities. Project partners included Bandera Electric Cooperative, Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative, Central Texas Electric Cooperative, City of Brenham, City of Cuero, City of Giddings, City of Hempstead, City of Flatonia, City of La Grange, City of Lampasas, City of Llano, City of Lockhart, City of Luling, City of San Marcos, City of San Saba, City of Schulenburg, City of Smithville, City of Waelder, City of Weimar, and Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative.

The program provided each school with a 1 kW solar electric photovoltaic (PV) system, a Web-based performance monitoring system, and several additional hands-on learning tools to enhance the educational component of the project, as well as staff training. Renewable energy fact sheets and lesson plans that the participating schools received are available to all Texas schools at the Infinite Power of Texas Web site.

The Texas Solar for Schools program and LCRA’s delivery was a winning combination. In 2006, LCRA’s Solar for Schools program won the Project of the Year Award from the Texas Renewable Energy Industry Association. And in 2007, the program won the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) Innovation Award. 

Visit the SolTrex Web site to view graphs and download data for the PV system at your school or look around at other schools in Texas and across the country.