Bright minds, bright futures: CERTs supports MN’s school solar initiative

From the superintendent's office to the classroom, University of Minnesota Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnership’s Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) is teaming up with Minnesota schools to participate in a groundbreaking energy initiative. In 2021, the state legislature introduced the Solar for Schools statewide grant program. The initiative is empowering Minnesota’s public schools by facilitating the installation of solar energy systems. Managed by the Minnesota Department of Commerce Division of Energy Resources, the program not only aims to cut utility expenses but also to integrate renewable energy education into school curriculums.

“There’s about 160 schools that have solar or are on their way to having solar thanks to the program, most of which are in Greater Minnesota,” says Peter Lindstrom, CERTS Manager of Public Sector & Community Engagement.

“The ink was barely dry on the legislation before our phones were ringing,” Lindstrom says. CERTs is proud to help steward Minnesota schools through the program by spearheading outreach and education. Questions about finances, applications and general information about arrays are all areas where staff lends support to prospective schools and districts.

“Schools are interested for a wide variety of reasons, including financial incentives,” he says. Utility costs, often the second highest expense for schools after personnel, present a significant financial burden to Minnesota school districts. By installing a 40kW solar array, equivalent to the size of a tennis court, Lindstrom says schools can see savings exceeding $200,000 over the system’s lifespan.

Solar for students

While the financial elements of solar options are crucial, so are the educational possibilities that can then lead to career opportunities. Clean energy companies employed 3.4% more Minnesotans in 2022 than 2021, a growth rate 50% faster than the state's overall economy. It’s a trend that Minnesota students are asking schools to recognize in curriculums.

“Today’s youth are the energy decision-makers of the future,” says Lindstrom. “I've talked to so many students over the past two years and they know that they will eventually be making decisions in industries like energy public policy and energy markets.”

Heidi Auel, the CERTs coordinator for central Minnesota, feels the educational potential around this topic is vast and exciting.

Auel is one of a handful of new staff members expanding CERTs’ community capacity across Minnesota. When the Minnesota Department of Commerce invited CERTs to join the committee to develop a Solar for Schools curriculum, Auel jumped at the opportunity. Not only does she bring her clean energy experience to the committee, she also has real-world experience in the classroom. Before joining, Auel spent over a decade teaching middle school science in the Brainerd Lakes Area.

“There are many ways to incorporate learning about solar energy into all grade levels and subject areas,” she says. “Whether it's using the array to discuss careers, looking at angles of incidence in math, creating stories and art projects about renewable energy, or making a model with a solar pizza box oven,” she says. This curriculum is important to schools. By adding a solar array, students will have a wonderful, onsite example to observe and use in a multidisciplinary way.”

From the classroom to the workplace, and beyond, efforts to bring solar to schools will surely help propel Minnesota into a clean energy future.